Kits for amplifying DNA

1. A kit for use in amplifying a DNA target sequence, said kit comprising:

a priming oligonucleotide which hybridizes to the 3′-end of a DNA target sequence such that a primer extension reaction can be initiated therefrom;

a promoter oligonucleotide comprising first and second regions, wherein said first region has a base sequence which corresponds to a region at the 5′-end of said target sequence and which hybridizes to a 3′-region of a DNA primer extension product comprising said priming oligonucleotide, wherein said second region is a promoter for an RNA polymerase and is situated 5′ to said first region, and wherein said promoter oligonucleotide is modified to prevent the initiation of DNA synthesis therefrom; and

a displacer oligonucleotide which hybridizes to a target nucleic acid containing said target sequence upstream from said priming oligonucleotide such that a primer extension reaction can be initiated therefrom,

provided that any oligonucleotide included in said kit that comprises a promoter for an RNA polymerase is modified to prevent the initiation of DNA synthesis therefrom,

provided that said kit does not include a restriction endonuclease, and

further provided that said priming oligonucleotide does not include an RNA region which hybridizes to said target nucleic acid and which is selectively degraded by an enzyme activity when hybridized to said target nucleic acid.

2. The kit of claim 1 , wherein said priming oligonucleotide consists of deoxynucleotides and/or analogs thereof.

3. The kit of claim 1 , wherein said promoter oligonucleotide is modified to include a blocking moiety situated at its 3′-terminus.

4. The kit of claim 3 , wherein said blocking moiety of said promoter oligonucleotide comprises a substituent selected from the group consisting of: a modified nucleotide, a nucleotide or a nucleotide sequence having a 3′-to-5′ orientation, a 3′ alkyl group, a 3′2′-dideoxynucleotide, a 3′ cordycepin, a 3′ alkane-diol residue, a 3′ non-nucleotide moiety, a nucleotide sequence non-complementary to said target sequence, a nucleic acid binding protein, and mixtures thereof.

5. The kit of claim 1 , wherein said promoter oligonucleotide further comprises an insertion sequence positioned between or adjacent to said first and second regions, and wherein the presence of said insertion sequence in said promoter oligonucleotide enhances the rate at which said RNA products are formed.

6. The kit of claim 1 further comprising a chemical denaturant for rendering single-stranded a double-stranded DNA complex.

7. The kit of claim 1 further comprising a reverse transcriptase having an RNAse H activity, wherein said kit does not include an enzyme other than said reverse transcriptase having an RNAse H activity.

8. The kit of claim 1 further comprising an enzyme, other than a reverse transcriptase, having an RNAse H activity.

9. The kit of claim 1 , wherein a 5′-region of said displacer oligonucleotide includes one or more modifications for increasing the binding affinity of said displacer oligonucleotide for said target nucleic acid, and wherein said modifications do not prevent said displacer oligonucleotide from being extended in a primer extension reaction.

10. The kit of claim 9 , wherein said modifications are spaced at least 15 bases from the 3′-terminus of said displacer oligonucleotide.

11. The kit of claim 9 , wherein said modifications are LNAs.

12. The kit of claim 1 , wherein said displacer oligonucleotide hybridizes to said target nucleic acid such that the 3′-terminal base of said displacer oligonucleotide is adjacent to the 5′-terminal base of said priming oligonucleotide.

13. The kit of claim 1 , wherein said displacer oligonucleotide hybridizes to said target nucleic acid such that the 3′-terminal base of said displacer oligonucleotide is spaced from 5 to 35 bases from the 5′-terminal base of said priming oligonucleotide.

14. The kit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said priming oligonucleotide and said displacer oligonucleotide includes a cap hybridized to the 3′-end thereof, said cap comprising a base region complementary to at least 3 bases at the 3′-end of said priming oligonucleotide or said displacer oligonucleotide, wherein the 5′-terminal base of said cap is complementary to the 3′-terminal base of said priming oligonucleotide or said displacer oligonucleotide, and wherein said cap is modified to prevent the initiation of DNA synthesis therefrom.

15. The kit of claim 14 , wherein said cap is complementary to no more than 8 bases at the 3′-end of said priming oligonucleotide or said displacer oligonucleotide.

16. The kit of claim 14 , wherein said cap prevents non-specific hybridization between said priming oligonucleotide or said displacer oligonucleotide and said promoter oligonucleotide when each said cap is hybridized to said priming oligonucleotide or said displacer oligonucleotide.

17. The kit of claim 14 , wherein said cap is a capping oligonucleotide modified to include a blocking moiety situated at its 3′-terminus.

18. The kit of claim 14 , wherein the 3′-end of said cap is covalently attached to the 5′-end of said priming oligonucleotide or said displacer oligonucleotide, and wherein said cap hybridizes to the 3′-end of said priming oligonucleotide or said displacer oligonucleotide by forming a loop.

19. The kit of claim 18 , wherein said cap is joined to said priming oligonucleotide or said displacer oligonucleotide via a linker region.

20. The kit of claim 19 , wherein said linker region comprises at least 5 nucleotides.

21. The kit of claim 19 , wherein said linker region is a non-nucleotide linker.

22. The kit of claim 1 further comprising a binding molecule which binds to a target nucleic acid containing said target sequence adjacent to or near the 5′-end of said target sequence.

23. The kit of claim 22 , wherein said binding molecule comprises an oligonucleotide having a blocking moiety situated at its 3′-terminus to prevent the initiation of DNA synthesis therefrom.

24. The kit of claim 22 , wherein said binding molecule comprises LNAs.

25. The kit of claim 22 , wherein said binding molecule is a terminating oligonucleotide.

26. The kit of claim 25 , wherein the 5′-end of said terminating oligonucleotide is complementary to at least two bases at the 5′-end of said first region of said promoter oligonucleotide.

27. The kit of claim 25 , wherein the 5′-end of said terminating oligonucleotide is complementary to at least three but no more than ten bases at the 5′-end of said first region of said promoter oligonucleotide.

28. The kit of claim 22 , wherein said binding molecule is a modifying oligonucleotide.

29. The kit of claim 28 , wherein said modifying oligonucleotide is a digestion oligonucleotide.

30. The kit of claim 1 further comprising an extender oligonucleotide which hybridizes to a region of said primer extension product 3′ to said promoter oligonucleotide of said promoter oligonucleotide:primer extension product hybrid, such that an extender oligonucleotide:primer extension product hybrid is formed.

31. The kit of claim 30 , wherein said extender oligonucleotide further comprises a blocking moiety situated at its 3′ terminus to prevent the initiation of DNA synthesis therefrom.

32. The kit of claim 30 , wherein said extender oligonucleotide hybridizes to said primer extension product such that the 5′-terminal base of said extender oligonucleotide is spaced within three nucleotides of the 3′-terminal base of said promoter oligonucleotide.

33. The kit of claim 30 , wherein said extender oligonucleotide hybridizes to said primer extension product adjacent said promoter oligonucleotide.

34. The kit of claim 1 further comprising a detection probe which hybridizes to said target sequence.

35. The kit of claim 34 , wherein said detection probe includes a detectable label.