| abstract |
A target nucleic acid can be amplified and detected using a water-insoluble capture probe having a short oligonucleotide (15-20 nucleotides) covalently attached to a polymeric particle, and one or more secondary oligonucleotides. The capture probe and secondary oligonucleotides are complementary to the target nucleic acid, although the sequences of complementarity are different. Moreover, each of the secondary oligonucleotides has a length which is equal to or greater than the length of the capture probe oligonucleotide. The secondary oligonucleotides are hybridized to the target nucleic acid either before or during hybridization of the target to the capture probe. The result is improved hybridization efficiency of capture probe and target nucleic acid. |