Abstract: A chemically-enhanced primer is provided comprising a negatively charged moiety (NCM), an oligonucleotide sequence having a) non-nuclease resistant inter-nucleotide linkages or b) at least one nuclease resistance inter-nucleotide linkage. The chemically-enhanced primer can be used for sequencing and fragment analysis. Methods for synthesizing the chemically-enhanced primer as well as a method of preparing DNA for sequencing, a method of sequencing DNA, and kits containing the chemically-enhanced primer are also provided. The method of sequencing DNA can comprise contacting amplification reaction products with the composition wherein excess amplification primer is degraded by the nuclease and the chemically-enhanced primer is essentially non-degraded.

Abstract: A chemically-enhanced primer is provided comprising a negatively charged moiety (NCM), an oligonucleotide sequence having a) non-nuclease resistant inter-nucleotide linkages or b) at least one nuclease resistance inter-nucleotide linkage. The chemically-enhanced primer can be used for sequencing and fragment analysis. Methods for synthesizing the chemically-enhanced primer as well as a method of preparing DNA for sequencing, a method of sequencing DNA, and kits containing the chemically-enhanced primer are also provided. The method of sequencing DNA can comprise contacting amplification reaction products with the composition wherein excess amplification primer is degraded by the nuclease and the chemically-enhanced primer is essentially non-degraded.

Abstract: In one aspect, there are provided methods of amplifying and sequencing a polynucleotide. In some embodiments, the method includes (a) amplifying the polynucleotide with at least one amplification primer, a processive amplification polymerase, a sequencing primer, a sequencing polymerase, deoxynucleoside triphosphates suitable for template-dependent primer extension, and one or more terminating nucleotides, the incubation being carried out at a first temperature suitable for amplifying the polynucleotide with the processive amplification polymerase; (b) incubating the product of step (a) at a second temperature suitable for forming a plurality of differently-sized extended sequencing primers with the sequencing polymerase; (c) evaluating the extended sequencing primers in order to determine the sequence of the polynucleotide. The reactions at the first and second temperatures can be carried out in a single reaction vessel. In other aspects, compositions and kits for carrying out the methods are also provided.