This invention relates to an improved process for amplifying a specific nucleic acid sequence. The process involves synthesizing single-stranded RNA, single-stranded DNA and Double-stranded DNA. The single-stranded RNA is a first template for a first primer, the single-stranded DNA is a second template for a second primer, and the double stranded DNA is a third template for synthesis of a plurality of copies of the first template. A sequence of the first primer or the second primer is complement...

A method for the formation of double stranded nucleic acid molecules from separate single stranded nucleic acid molecules in a single phase reaction solution is disclosed wherein the rate of reaction is greatly increased over the rate of reaction at standard reference conditions. The greatly accelerated reaction rate is accomplished through the use of known concentrations of nucleic acid precipitating agents which are added to the reaction solution. Nucleic acid denaturing agents may also be add...

The invention relates to the detection of target nucleic acids or nucleic acid units in a sample, by obtaining a SER(R)S spectrum for a SER(R)S-active complex containing, or derived directly from, the target. The complex includes at least a SER(R)S-active label, and optionally a target binding species containing a nucleic acid or nucleic acid unit. In this detection method, the concentration of the target present in the SER(R)S-active complex, or of the nucleic acid or unit contained in the targ...

The invention relates to new methods of RNA isolation that exploit the surprising discovery that RNA may be differentially precipitated from DNA. The subject methods result in the formation of an RNA-containing precipitate that has an RNA content at least two fold enriched with respect to DNA, as compared with the RNA to DNA ratio of the solution from which the RNA-containing precipitate is derived. The invention also includes various methods of DNA isolation that employ the selective precipitat...

Nucleic acids are compacted, substantially without aggregation, to facilitate their uptake by target cells of an organism to which the compacted material is administered. The nucleic acids may achieve a clinical effect as a result of gene expression, hybridization to endogenous nucleic acids whose expression is undesired, or site-specific integration so that a target gene is replaced, modified or deleted. The targeting may be enhanced by means of a target cell-binding moiety. The nucleic acid is...

The present invention relates to a method for capturing a class of nucleic acids comprising (a) providing a population of nucleic acids, wherein the population comprises the class; (b) binding a probe moiety to nucleic acids of the class, thereby forming one or more complexes, wherein the probe moiety is attached to a substrate; and (c) capturing the complex. The method can be implemented in certain embodiments in a structure comprised of one or more reservoirs, preferably wherein the reservoirs...

The invention concerns a method for the sequence-specific labelling of nucleic acids comprising the generation of labelled nucleic acid fragments by an enzymatic labelling reaction in which a labelled deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate is attached to a nucleic acid primer molecule and the nucleic acid sequence is determined by means of the label, wherein the labelling reaction is carried out in a single reaction vessel with the simultaneous presence of one or several nucleic acid primer molecules ...

The present invention relates to the induction of interferon production in the cells of living organisms, including human beings. According to the invention, nucleic acid complexes, such as the polyriboinosinate and polycytidylate complex (rI.sub.n.rC.sub.n), are modified to yield unpaired bases (uracil or guanine) along the polycytidylate strand which render the complexes more readily hydrolyzable by nucleases present in living cells. The modified complexes retain their ability to stimulate int...

The present invention relates to means for the detection and characterization of nucleic acid sequences, as well as variations in nucleic acid sequences. The present invention also relates to methods for forming a nucleic acid cleavage structure on a target sequence and cleaving the nucleic acid cleavage structure in a site-specific manner. The structure-specific nuclease activity of a variety of enzymes is used to cleave the target-dependent cleavage structure, thereby indicating the presence o...

The present invention relates to the denaturation of nucleic acids using capacitive charging. In a preferred embodiment, the invention effects such denaturation in the context of a microfluidic device for the analysis, amplification, or other automated manipulation of nucleic acids.