Amplification methods

1. A method for detecting polynucleotide amplification of a target sequence, comprising:

(a) providing a mixture comprising a sample containing a target sequence, with one or more than one oligonucleotide primers complementary to regions of the target sequence, a polymerizing enzyme, nucleotide substrates, and an oligonucleotide probe comprising a 5′ end and a 3′ end and two or more labels, wherein the oligonucleotide probe is an oligonucleotide conjugate, wherein one of the labels is a fluorophore and one of the labels is a quencher, wherein the oligonucleotide conjugate comprises an oligonucleotide or a modified oligonucleotide, wherein the oligonucleotide or modified oligonucleotide sequence has an overlap of from 1 to 7 bases with at least one of said primer sequences and the oligonucleotide or modified oligonucleotide has a sequence complementary to a portion of the target sequence being amplified;

(b) incubating the mixture under conditions favorable for polymerization and amplification of the target sequence; and

(c) detecting the amplification of the target sequence.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oligonucleotide conjugate comprises a modified oligonucleotide comprising at least one modified base.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said at least one modified base is a base attached to a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) or a base attached to a locked nucleic acid.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said modified base is a base attached to PNA.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said modified base is a base attached to a locked nucleic acid.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the modified base is selected from the group consisting of 6-amino-1H-pyrazolo[3,4 d]pyrimidin 4(5H)-one (PPG), 4-amino-1H -pyrazolo[3,4 d]pyrimidine (PPA) and 1H-pyrazolo[5,4 d]pyrimidin 4(5H)-6(7H)-dione (ppX).

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the modified base is selected from the group consisting of 6-amino-3-prop-1-ynyl-5-hydropyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4-one (PPPG), 6-amino-3-(3-hydroxyprop-1-ynyl)1-5-hydropyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4-one (HOPPPG), 6-amino-3-(3-aminoprop-1-ynyl)-5-hydropyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine--4-one (NH 2 PPPG), 4-amino-3-(prop-1-ynyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine (PPPA), 4-amino-3-(3-hydroxyprop-1-ynyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine (HOPPPA), 4-amino-3-(3-aminoprop-1-ynyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine (NH 2 PPPA), 3-prop-1-ynylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamino ((NH 2 ) 2 PPPA), 2-(4,6-diaminopyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-3-yl)ethyn-1-ol, ((NH 2 ) 2 PPPAOH), 3-(2-aminoethynyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamine, ((NH 2 ) 2 PPPANH 2 ), 5-prop-1-ynyl-1,3-dihydropyrimidine-2,4-dione (PU), 5-(3-hydroxyprop-1-ynyl)-1,3-dihydropyrimidine-2,4-dione (HOPU), 6-amino-5-prop-1-ynyl-3-dihydropyrimidine-2-one (PC), 6-amino-5-(3-hydroxyprop-1-yny)-1,3-dihydropyrimidine-2-one (HOPC), 6-amino-5-(3-aminoprop-1-yny)-1,3-dihydropyrimidine-2-one (NH 2 PC), 5-[4-amino-3-(3-methoxyprop-1-ynyl)pyrazol[3,4-d]pyrimidinyl]-2-(hydroxy-methyl)oxolan-3-ol (CH 3 OPPPA), 6-amino-1-[4-hydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]-3-(3-methoxyprop-1-yny-1)-5-hydropyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-one (CH 3 OPPPG), 4,(4,6-Diamino-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-3-yl)-but-3-yn-1-ol (Super A), 6-Amino-3-(4-hydroxy-but-1-ynyl)-1,5-dihydro-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-one, 5-(4-hydroxy-but-1-ynyl)-1H-pyrimidine-2,4-dione (Super T), 3-iodo-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamine ((NH 2 ) 2 PPAI), 3-bromo-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamine ((NH 2 ) 2 PPABr), 3-chloro-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamine ((NH 2 ) 2 PPACl), 3-Iodo-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-ylamine (PPAI), 3-Bromo-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-ylamine (PPABr) and 3-chloro-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-ylamine (PPACl).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluorophore has an emission wavelength of from about 400 nm to about 800 nm and is selected from the group consisting of coumarins, resorufins, xanthenes, naphthyamines, cyanines, rhodamines, acridines and bodipy analogs.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluorophore selected from the group consisting of cyanines, BODIPY analogs, 5-FAM, 6-FAM, TET™, JOE™ HEX™, VIC™, NED™, TAMRA™, ROX™, Bothell Blue™ and Yakima Yellow™ (YY).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quencher has an absorption maximum of from about 400 nm to about 800 nm and is selected from the group consisting of bis azo dyes, dabcyl, TAMRA and carboxytetramethyl rhodamine.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the incubating step is carried out in the presence of a polymerase with 5′-nuclease activity and the detecting step comprises continuously monitoring the amplification by monitoring fluorescence produced upon conjugate hybridization to an amplified target and cleavage by 5′-nuclease activity.

12. A kit for detecting nucleic acid amplification, said kit comprising:

(a) a plurality of oligonucleotide primers complementary to regions of a target sequence;

(b) a polymerizing enzyme;

(c) a plurality of nucleotide substrates; and

(d) an oligonucleotide probe comprising a 5′ end and a 3′ end and two or more labels, wherein the oligonucleotide probe is an oligonucleotide conjugate, wherein one of the labels is a fluorophore and one of the labels is a quencher, wherein the oligonucleotide conjugate comprises an oligonucleotide or a modified oligonucleotide, wherein the oligonucleotide or modified oligonucleotide sequence has an overlap of from 1 to 7 bases with at least one of said primer sequences and the oligonucleotide or modified oligonucleotide has a sequence complementary to a portion of the target sequence being amplified.