Amplification reporter with base-pairing oligomers

A method of analysis, the method comprising:

• forming a mixture including a target;
• forming a plurality of fluid volumes each containing a portion of the mixture, a reporter, and a pair of primers, wherein only a subset of the plurality of fluid volumes contain at least one copy of the target, the reporter including a first oligomer having a photoluminophore and a second oligomer having a quencher for the photoluminophore, the first oligomer and the second oligomer being capable of base-pairing with one another below the melting temperature of the reporter in the plurality of fluid volumes to quench photoluminescence of the photoluminophore, wherein the first oligomer and the second oligomer are not covalently linked to one another;
• amplifying the target in the plurality of fluid volumes to produce an amplicon by extending the pair of primers at a temperature above the melting temperature of the reporter, wherein amplifying causes cleavage of the second oligomer, and wherein the cleavage increases the photoluminescence detectable from the photoluminophore of the first oligomer;
• detecting photoluminescence from the photoluminophore contained by each fluid volume of the plurality of fluid volumes while the fluid volume is at a temperature below the melting temperature of the reporter, wherein fluid volumes of the plurality of fluid volumes that are positive for the target have more photoluminescence from the photoluminophore than fluid volumes of the plurality of fluid volumes that are negative for the target;
• and
• determining a level of the target based on the photoluminescence detected.