Abstract: This invention is directed to a process for tightly binding nucleic acid to solid phase and corresponding processes for the utilization thereof. Nucleic acid is bound to solid phase matrices exhibiting sufficient hydrophilicity and electropositivity to tightly bind the nucleic acids from a sample. These processes include nucleic acid (double or single stranded DNA and RNA) capture from high volume and/or low concentration specimens, buffer changes, washes, and volume reductions, and enable the interface of solid phase bound nucleic acid with enzyme, hybridization or amplification strategies. The tightly bound nucleic acid may be used, for example, in repeated analyses to confirm results or test additional genes in both research and commercial applications. Further, a method is described for virus extraction, purification, and solid phase amplification from large volume plasma specimens.

Abstract: Self-contained devices are described that integrate nucleic acid extraction, specific target amplification and detection into a single device. This integration permits rapid and accurate nucleic acid sequence detection. The invention may be used, for example, in the screening for nucleic acid sequences which may be indicative of genetic defects or contagious diseases, as well as for monitoring efficacy in the treatment of contagious diseases.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to methods, reagents, compositions, kits, and instruments for use in simultaneously amplifying multiple targets. In particular, this invention is based on the discovery of a two-step multiplex amplification reaction wherein the first step truncates the standard initial multiplex amplification round to “boost” the sample copy number by only a 100-1000 fold increase in the target. Following the first step the product is divided into optimized secondary single amplification reactions, each containing one of the primer sets that were used previously in the first or multiplexed booster step. The booster step can occur using an aqueous target nucleic acid or using a solid phase archived nucleic acid.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a process for irreversibly binding nucleic acid to solid phase and corresponding processes for the utilization thereof. Nucleic acid is bound to solid phase matrixes exhibiting sufficient hydrophilicity and electropositivity to irreversibly bind the nucleic acids from a sample. These processes include nucleic acid (double or single stranded DNA and RNA) capture from high volume:low concentration specimens, buffer changes, washes, and volume reductions, and enable the interface of solid phase bound nucleic acid with enzyme, hybridization or amplification strategies. The invention, solid phase irreversibly bound nucleic acid, may be used, for example, in repeated analyses to confirm results or test additional genes in both research and commercial applications. Further, a method is described for virus extraction, purification, and solid phase amplification from large volume plasma specimens.

Abstract: This invention is directed to methods for the quantitative measurement of specific gene expression levels in biological samples. In one embodiment, methods for the quantitative monitoring of gene expression without either co-amplification of an added template or use of an endogenous constitutive transcript are provided. The former involves a duplex amplification reaction in which a single set of primers is used to amplify both genomic DNA and expressed mRNA from the same gene sequence. These primers are targeted for sequences flanking the splice junction and intron sequences for the mRNA and DNA respectively. By their use, any suitable nucleic acid amplification technology yields mRNA and DNA amplimers which are distinguishable by length and sequence heterogeneity.

Abstract: A self-contained device is described that integrates nucleic acid extraction, specific target amplification and detection into a single device. This integration permits rapid and accurate nucleic acid sequence detection. The invention may be used, for example, in the screening for nucleic acid sequences which may be indicative of genetic defects or contagious diseases, as well as for monitoring efficacy in the treatment of contagious diseases.