Amplification with primers of limited nucleotide composition

A method of amplifying a predetermined segment of a target nucleic acid comprising:

• contacting a sample comprising a target nucleic acid with forward and reverse primers;
• and
• conducting an amplification reaction wherein an amplification product of the predetermined segment of the target nucleic acid is formed by extension of the forward and reverse primers with the target nucleic acid serving as a template;
• wherein
• the primers are underrepresented in one or more of the four standard nucleotide types, the underrepresented nucleotide type(s) being the same in the primers, in each primer, the underrepresented nucleotide type(s) being present at two or fewer internal positions and/or the 5′ end position;
• and where the primers are not random primers in which most or all primer positions are occupied by degenerate selections of nucleotides varying between the primers, and
• wherein the method is performed in multiplex with one or more further pairs of the forward and reverse primers forming amplification products of one or more further predetermined segments, the underrepresented nucleotide type(s) being the same for each of the one or more further pairs, and in each primer of each pair, as the underrepresented nucleotide type(s) in the forward and reverse primers, the underrepresented nucleotide type(s) being present at two or fewer internal positions and/or the 5′ end position in each primer of the one or more further pairs.