NICKING AND EXTENSION AMPLIFICATION REACTION FOR THE EXPONENTIAL AMPLIFICATION OF NUCLEIC ACIDS

1 - 41 . (canceled)

42 . A kit for amplifying a nucleic acid target sequence, said kit comprising:

a) a DNA polymerase;

b) a first template for nucleic acid amplification, said first template comprising:

a recognition region at the 3′ end that is complementary to the 3′ end of a target sequence sense strand;

a nicking enzyme binding site and a nicking site upstream of said recognition region; and

a stabilizing region upstream of said nicking site,

wherein the portion of the nucleic acid sequence that is complementary to the 3′ end of the target sequence sense strand is 8-15 nucleotides in length;

c) a second template for nucleic acid amplification, said second template comprising:

a recognition region at the 3′ end that is complementary to the 3′ end of the complement of the target sequence sense strand;

a nicking enzyme binding site and a nicking site upstream of said recognition region; and

a stabilizing region upstream of said nicking site,

wherein the portion of the nucleic acid sequence that is complementary to the 3′ end of the complement of the target sequence sense strand is 8-15 nucleotides in length; and

d) one or two thermostable nicking enzymes, wherein either:

one enzyme is capable of nicking at the nicking site of said first and said second templates; or

a first enzyme is capable of nicking at the nicking site of said first primer and a second enzyme is capable of nicking at the enzyme site of said second primer,

wherein said DNA polymerase, said one or two thermostable nicking enzymes, said first template, and said second template are lyophilized.

43 . The kit of claim 42 , wherein said target sequence comprises a number of nucleotides that is 1 to 5 nucleotides more than the sum of:

i) the number of nucleotides of said first template recognition region; and

ii) the number of nucleotides of said second template recognition region.

44 . The kit of claim 42 , wherein said target nucleotide sequence is between 20 and 40 nucleotides in length.

45 . The kit of claim 42 , wherein said target nucleotide sequence is between 19 and 50 nucleotides in length.

46 . The kit of claim 42 , wherein the polymerase and nicking enzyme are stable up to 60 degrees C.

47 . The kit of claim 42 , wherein at least one of said templates comprises a spacer, a blocking group, or a modified nucleotide.

48 . The kit of claim 42 , further comprising a container, wherein said container contains said DNA polymerase, said one or two thermostable nicking enzymes, said first template, and said second template.

49 . The kit of claim 42 , further comprising two containers, wherein said two containers contain said DNA polymerase, said one or two thermostable nicking enzymes, said first template, and said second template.

50 . The kit of claim 42 , further comprising a first container and a second container, wherein said first container contains said DNA polymerase and said one or two thermostable nicking enzymes; and wherein said second container contains said first template and said second template.

51 . The kit of claim 42 , further comprising a cuvette.

52 . The kit of claim 42 , further comprising a detection reagent.

53 . The kit of claim 42 , further comprising deoxynucleotide triphosphates.

54 . The kit of claim 42 , further comprising a modified deoxynucleotide triphosphate.

55 . The kit of claim 42 , further comprising a positive control.