Endpoint detection of amplified nucleic acids

A method for detecting a presence of a target nucleic acid in a sample, the method comprising:

• combining the sample with a first primer, a quench probe, and a polymerase to provide a reaction mixture, wherein the first primer comprises a first nucleic acid sequence having sufficient complementarity to a site in the target nucleic acid, and wherein the quench probe comprises a second nucleic acid sequence having sufficient complementarity to a first portion of the first primer and a quencher label operably linked to the second nucleic acid sequence;
• amplifying the target nucleic acid sequence, if present, in the reaction mixture by incubating at a temperature T1;
• and
• promoting hybridization of the quench probe to the first primer by cooling to a temperature T3, wherein T3 is less than T1, thereby providing a discriminated endpoint signal indicative of a presence or an absence of the target nucleic acid.