The disclosure is directed to methods, kits, and compositions, for amplifying and detecting a human hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a sample, which comprises a variety of combinations of forward oligonucleotide primers, reverse oligonucleotide primers, and oligonucleotide probes.

Disclosed are nucleic acid oligomers for amplifying one or more selected regions of HCV nucleic acid. Also disclosed are methods for specific amplification and characterization of HCV nucleic acid using the disclosed oligomers, as well as corresponding reaction mixtures and kits.

Polybrene as an additive in cell culture medium is used in methods for the generation of high-titer hepatitis E virus stocks and assays for titration of hepatitis E virus. A cell culture medium containing polybrene is used for high-titer HEV generation, a method for determining the presence and/or the level of HEV in a sample, and an HEV titration assay using polybrene.

This invention provides for compositions for use in real time nucleic acid detection processes. Such real time nucleic acid detection processes are carried out with energy transfer elements attached to nucleic acid primers, nucleotides, nucleic acid probes or nucleic acid binding agents. Real time nucleic acid detection allows for the qualitative or quantitative detection or determination of single-stranded or double-stranded nucleic acids of interest in a sample. Other processes are provided by this invention including processes for removing a portion of a homopolymeric sequence, e.g., poly A sequence or tail, from an analyte or library of analytes. Compositions useful in carrying out such removal processes are also described and provided. Paneling and multiplex analyses of more than one nucleic acid analyte using one sample are also provided.

The invention relates to an in vitro method for determining in an isolated sample of a subject the presence of one or more Human Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) sequence variants comprising reverse transcription and amplifying HCV RNAs molecules using specific sets of primers allowing the amplification of the HCV regions named 5-UTR-Core and NS5B. The method includes an step for purifying the amplified regions and a sequencing step of the amplified fragments. The invention also includes specific oligonucleotides than are used as primers in the method, as well as kits including one or more of these oligonucleotides as sets of primers.

The present invention relates to assays, including amplification assays, conducted in the presence of modulators. These assays can be used to detect the presence of particular nucleic acid sequences. In particular, these assays can allow for genotyping or other genetic analysis.

Provided are devices comprising multivolume analysis regions, the devices being capable of supporting amplification, detection, and other processes. Also provided are related methods of detecting or estimating the presence nucleic acids, viral levels, and other biological markers of interest.

Disclosed are nucleic acid oligomers for amplifying one or more selected regions of HCV nucleic acid. Also disclosed are methods for specific amplification and characterization of HCV nucleic acid using the disclosed oligomers, as well as corresponding reaction mixtures and kits.

The present invention provides a rapid and highly effective method for the preparation of biological samples for detection of both DNA and RNA target molecules. The method comprises treatment of the sample with a clay mineral followed by lysis of the sample with an alkaline solution. The method is particularly suited for preparing complex biological samples, such as blood or plasma, for the simultaneous detection of DNA and RNA targets. Samples prepared by the method of the invention may be directly used as targets in PCR amplification. The method of the invention may conveniently be coupled with further steps and devices to perform molecular analyses for diagnostic and other applications.

Methods for screening pancrelipase for RNA virus contamination comprise removing free viral RNA from the pancrelipase, denaturing any viruses in the pancrelipase to release encapsidated RNA into the pancrelipase milieu, and detecting this released RNA. Removal of free viral RNA may comprise treating pancrelipase with RNase and DNase or precipitating the protein fraction of pancrelipase with a salt that precipitates the protein fraction while leaving nucleic acids such as RNA in solution. Pancrelipase substantially devoid of free nucleic acid is also provided.