Abstract: The application relates generally to methods useful for the selective amplification of one or more target nucleic acid or fragments thereof, as well as compositions and kits comprising said amplification reaction mixtures. More specifically, the application relates to a composite primer that comprises a 5? promoter portion and a 3? target-recognition portion which is complementary to the 3? end portion of a target polynucleotide sequence; and optionally, a means for identifying the 5? end portion of the target polynucleotide sequence. The amplification reaction mixture comprises at least one handle-stem-loop structure which comprises a 5? single-stranded handle comprising the promoter portion and a double-stranded stem comprising at least one pair of self-folding segments hybridized to each other, and optionally, a single-stranded loop comprising the sequence between the pair of self-folding segments.

Abstract: The application relates generally to methods useful for the selective amplification of one or more target nucleic acid or fragments thereof, as well as compositions and kits comprising said amplification reaction mixtures. More specifically, the application relates to a composite primer that comprises a 5? promoter portion and a 3? target-recognition portion which is complementary to the 3? end portion of a target polynucleotide sequence; and optionally, a means for identifying the 5? end portion of the target polynucleotide sequence. The amplification reaction mixture comprises at least one handle-stem-loop structure which comprises a 5? single-stranded handle comprising the promoter portion and a double-stranded stem comprising at least one pair of self-folding segments hybridized to each other, and optionally, a single-stranded loop comprising the sequence between the pair of self-folding segments.

Abstract: The application relates generally to kits and methods useful for the selective capture, amplification and/or detection of one or more nucleic acid targets, as well as compositions comprising said amplification reaction mixtures. More specifically, the application relates to a signal primer that comprises (i) a target-specific sequence which hybridizes specifically to a nucleic acid target, and (ii) a signal sequence upstream of the target-specific sequence, wherein the signal sequence is preferably not found in the nucleic acid target or its complementary sequence; and a detection means for detecting the presence of the complementary sequence of the signal sequence in amplified nucleic acid target products.