Abstract: The invention provides inter alia an oligonucleotide (or “probe”) able to discriminate between a nucleic acid target and a nucleic acid variant thereof (for example, mRNA splice variants, or chimeric gene and corresponding parent gene mRNAs) in which the target and variant that share at least one domain of conserved or identical sequence. The oligonucleotide in one aspect has a first portion and a second portion flanking a portion junction, wherein the first portion comprises at least a first discontinuity relative to the first domain of a target sequence and the second portion comprises at least a second discontinuity relative to a second domain of a target sequence, each discontinuity comprising or consisting of a sequence mismatch and/or a non-nucleotide spacer.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of mass labeled probes to characterise nucleic acids by mass spectrometry. Thus the invention provides methods of detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid in a sample, using a circularising probe in which a mass tag is present in the probe. Further methods of detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid are provided, which in contrast use a probe detection sequence in the circularising probe, wherein the probe detection sequence is detected with a probe attached to a mass tag. Methods for determining a genetic profile from the genome of an organism also form part of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of mass labelled probes to characterize nucleic acids by mass spectrometry. Thus the invention provides methods of detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid in a sample, using a circularizing probe in which a mass tag is present in the probe. Further methods of detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid are provided, which in contrast use a probe detection sequence in the circularizing probe, wherein the probe detection sequence is detected with a probe attached to a mass tag. Methods for determining a genetic profile from the genome of an organism also form part of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of mass labeled probes to characterise nucleic acids by mass spectrometry. Thus the invention provides methods of detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid in a sample, using a circularising probe in which a mass tag is present in the probe. Further methods of detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid are provided, which in contrast use a probe detection sequence in the circularising probe, wherein the probe detection sequence is detected with a probe attached to a mass tag. Methods for determining a genetic profile from the genome of an organism also form part of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of mass labelled probes to characterise nucleic acids by mass spectrometry. Thus the invention provides methods of detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid in a sample, using a circularising probe in which a mass tag is present in the probe. Further methods of detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid are provided, which in contrast use a probe detection sequence in the circularising probe, wherein the probe detection sequence is detected with a probe attached to a mass tag. Methods for determining a genetic profile from the genome of an organism also form part of the invention.