Abstract:
Disclosed are methods for amplifying a nucleic acid target region using an amplification oligomer comprising a target-binding segment and a heterologous displacer tag situated 5′ to the target-binding segment. Initiation of an amplification reaction from the tagged amplification oligomer produces an amplicon comprising the displacer tag, such that once the complement of the displacer tag has been incorporated into a second amplicon, a displacer oligonucleotide having a sequence substantially corresponding to the displacer tag sequence is used to participate in subsequent rounds of amplification for displacement of an extension product primed from a site within the second amplicon 5′ to the displacer priming site. Also disclosed are related kits and reaction mixtures comprising the displacer-tagged amplification oligomer and corresponding displacer oligonucleotide.