Compositions and methods for preparing oligonucleotide solutions

A method of detecting the presence of target nucleic acids comprising:

• a) obtaining a pool of greater than 50 different single stranded oligonucleotides, wherein said pool of oligonucleotides has been produced by:
• (i) synthesizing greater than 50 different single stranded oligonucleotides on discrete sites of a first substrate, wherein each of the different single stranded oligonucleotides has a different sequence, and
• (ii) releasing said greater than 50 different single stranded oligonucleotides from said first substrate to generate said pool of greater than 50 different single stranded oligonucleotides;
• b) contacting said pool of greater than 50 different single stranded oligonucleotides with a composition comprising target nucleic acids, whereby said target nucleic acids hybridize with greater than 50 different single stranded oligonucleotides in said pool of oligonucleotides;
• c) capturing said greater than 50 different single stranded oligonucleotides in said pool of oligonucleotides hybridized with said target nucleic acids on a second substrate;
• d) contacting said target nucleic acids with a primer, wherein said target nucleic acids are amplified upon binding to said primer;
• and
• e) detecting the presence of said target nucleic acids.