Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and
nucleic acid reporter molecules for the detection of
nucleic acid in a sample. The
nucleic acid reporter molecule comprises two unsymmetrical
cyanine monomer moieties, which may be the same or different, that are covalently attached by a
linker comprising at least one aromatic, heteroaromatic, cyclic or heterocyclic
moiety comprising 3-20 non-
hydrogen atoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, S, P and C. The
linker may be rigid, relatively flexible or some degree thereof. The unsymmetrical
cyanine monomer moieties comprise a substituted or unsubstituted benzazolium
moiety and a substituted or unsubstituted
pyridinium or quinolinium
moiety that is connected by a methine bridge that is monomethine, trimethine or pentamethine. The linkers form the
cyanine dimer compounds by attaching to the
pyridinium or quinolinium moiety of the
monomer moieties. The present nucleic acid reporter molecules find utility in forming a nucleic acid-reporter molecule complex and detecting the nucleic acid. In particular, present nucleic acid reporter molecules with a rigid
linker and monomer moieties with a monomethine bridge find utility in detecting
RNA in the presence of
DNA.