Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
203 words
A method for detecting a target polynucleotide in a sample comprising: contacting said sample of nucleic acids with an oligonucleotide probe under conditions where said oligonucleotide probe selectively hybridizes to said target polynucleotide, said oligonucleotide probe including a fluorescent reporter molecule and a quencher molecule capable of quenching the fluorescence of said reporter molecule which are attached to said oligonucleotide probe such that said oligonucleotide probe is capable of adopting at least one single-stranded conformation when not hybridized to said target polynucleotide where said quencher molecule is fluorescent and quenches the fluorescence of said reporter molecule and is capable of adopting at least one conformation when hybridized to said target polynucleotide, where the fluorescence of said reporter molecule is unquenched such that the fluorescence intensity of said reporter molecule is greater than the fluorescence intensity of said quencher molecule when said oligonucleotide probe is hybridized to said target polynucleotide and said oligonucleotide probe is not hybridized with itself in the form of a hairpin structure; and monitoring the fluorescence of said reporter molecule under conditions where said oligonucleotide probe does not hybridize with itself to form a hairpin structure in order to detect the hybridization of said target polynucleotide to said oligonucleotide probe.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
203 words
A method for detecting a target polynucleotide in a sample comprising: contacting said sample of nucleic acids with an oligonucleotide probe under conditions where said oligonucleotide probe selectively hybridizes to said target polynucleotide, said oligonucleotide probe including a fluorescent reporter molecule and a quencher molecule capable of quenching the fluorescence of said reporter molecule which are attached to said oligonucleotide probe such that said oligonucleotide probe is capable of adopting at least one single-stranded conformation when not hybridized to said target polynucleotide where said quencher molecule is fluorescent and quenches the fluorescence of said reporter molecule and is capable of adopting at least one conformation when hybridized to said target polynucleotide, where the fluorescence of said reporter molecule is unquenched such that the fluorescence intensity of said reporter molecule is greater than the fluorescence intensity of said quencher molecule when said oligonucleotide probe is hybridized to said target polynucleotide and said oligonucleotide probe is not hybridized with itself in the form of a hairpin structure; and monitoring the fluorescence of said reporter molecule under conditions where said oligonucleotide probe does not hybridize with itself to form a hairpin structure in order to detect the hybridization of said target polynucleotide to said oligonucleotide probe.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the fluorescence intensity of said reporter molecule is at least about a factor of 3.5 greater than the fluorescence intensity of said quencher molecule when said probe is hybridized to said target polynucleotide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said reporter molecule is separated from said quencher molecule by at least 15 nucleotides.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said reporter molecule is separated from said quencher molecule by between 15 and 60 nucleotides.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said reporter molecule is separated from said quencher molecule by at least 18 nucleotides.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said reporter molecule is separated from said quencher molecule by between 18 and 30 nucleotides.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
209 words
A method for detecting a target polynucleotide in a sample comprising: contacting said sample of nucleic acids with an oligonucleotide probe attached to a solid support under conditions favorable for hybridization of said oligonucleotide probe to said target polynucleotide, said oligonucleotide probe including a fluorescent reporter molecule and a quencher molecule capable of quenching the fluorescence of said reporter molecule which are attached to said oligonucleotide probe such that said oligonucleotide probe is capable of adopting at least one single-stranded conformation when not hybridized to said target polynucleotide where said quencher molecule is fluorescent and quenches the fluorescence of said reporter molecule and is capable of adopting at least one conformation when hybridized to said target polynucleotide, where the fluorescence of said reporter molecule is unquenched such that the fluorescence intensity of said reporter molecule is greater than the fluorescence intensity of said quencher molecule when said oligonucleotide probe is hybridized to said target polynucleotide and said oligonucleotide probe is not hybridized with itself in the form of a hairpin structure; and monitoring the fluorescence of said reporter molecule under conditions where said oligonucleotide probe does not hybridize with itself to form a hairpin structure in order to detect the hybridization of said target polynucleotide to said oligonucleotide probe.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
209 words
A method for detecting a target polynucleotide in a sample comprising: contacting said sample of nucleic acids with an oligonucleotide probe attached to a solid support under conditions favorable for hybridization of said oligonucleotide probe to said target polynucleotide, said oligonucleotide probe including a fluorescent reporter molecule and a quencher molecule capable of quenching the fluorescence of said reporter molecule which are attached to said oligonucleotide probe such that said oligonucleotide probe is capable of adopting at least one single-stranded conformation when not hybridized to said target polynucleotide where said quencher molecule is fluorescent and quenches the fluorescence of said reporter molecule and is capable of adopting at least one conformation when hybridized to said target polynucleotide, where the fluorescence of said reporter molecule is unquenched such that the fluorescence intensity of said reporter molecule is greater than the fluorescence intensity of said quencher molecule when said oligonucleotide probe is hybridized to said target polynucleotide and said oligonucleotide probe is not hybridized with itself in the form of a hairpin structure; and monitoring the fluorescence of said reporter molecule under conditions where said oligonucleotide probe does not hybridize with itself to form a hairpin structure in order to detect the hybridization of said target polynucleotide to said oligonucleotide probe.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein the fluorescence intensity of said reporter molecule is at least about a factor of 3.5 greater than the fluorescence intensity of said quencher molecule when said probe is hybridized to said target polynucleotide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 8 wherein said reporter molecule is separated from said quencher molecule by at least 15 nucleotides.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 8 wherein said reporter molecule is separated from said quencher molecule by between 15 and 60 nucleotides.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 8 wherein said reporter molecule is separated from said quencher molecule by at least 18 nucleotides.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 8 wherein said reporter molecule is separated from said quencher molecule by between 18 and 30 nucleotides.