TABLE 2.

Molecular beacon sequences and characteristics

Beacon	Sequencea	Fluorophore	Quencher	dGb (kcal/mol)	Tmc (°C)
Subgroup I
Beacon 1	CTGGGGCCAGCGAGCTCTCCTCCCCAG	FAMd	Dabcyl	−1.26	65.1
Subgroup II
Beacon 2	CTCGCGCAGGAAACGTATGGCGATGAGACGCGAG	HEXe	Dabcyl	−1.55	65.2
Subgroup III
Beacon 3	ACGGCAAGCGGGTGCAGTTCCTGCCGT	CY-5f	BHQ2g	−1.7	68.2
Subgroup IV
Beacon 4	CCCAGGCAAATAAAGCAGTCACTGTTCCTGGG	Texas-Red	Dabcyl	−0.83	61.1

^aSubgroup-specific sequences are in boldface.

^bdG, predicted minimum free energy.

^cT_m, predicted melting temperature.

^dFAM, 6-carboxyfluorescein.

^eHEX, hexachloro-6-carboxyfluorescein.

^fCY-5, indodicarbocyanine.

^gBHQ-2, black hole quencher 2.