Method for sequencing nucleic acid sequences without chain termination

1. A method for sequencing a nucleic acid sequence comprising:

(a) linearly amplifying the nucleic acid sequence using a first primer which is complementary to a known portion of the nucleic acid sequence to produce a first primer extended product;

(b) incubating the first primer extended product with dNTPs, a DNA polymerase, and separate pools of semi-random oligonucleotide primers consisting of 5′ (N) n A3′, 5′ (N) n C3′, 5′ (N) n G3′, and 5′ (N) n T3′, wherein N is A, C, G or T and n is selected so that the oligonucleotides will optimally anneal to all complementary sequences, thereby generating four pools of primer extended products;

(c) incubating each of the four pools of primer extended products with a second detectably labeled primer which is complementary to a known portion of the nucleic acid sequence to produce detectably labeled extension products via linear amplification; and

(d) separating the detectably labeled extension products by size; and

(e) reading the sequence of the detectably labeled extension products via an automated sequencing machine.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the nucleic acid sequence is genomic DNA.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the nucleic acid is a DNA selected from the group consisting of oligonucleotide primers, PCR products, viral DNA and plasmid DNA.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the nucleic acid sequence is cDNA derived from RNA by reverse transcriptase.