Post-synthesis labeling of nucleic acids, assays using nucleic acids that are labeled post-synthetically, single nucleotide polymorphism detection, and associated compounds and microarrays

An assay is provided for nucleic acids that can be post-synthetically labeled, wherein modified nucleoside triphosphates are used that are more efficiently and specifically incorporated during nucleic acid synthesis than labeled nucleoside triphosphates. In a preferred embodiment, nucleoside α-thiotriphosphates are utilized. Maleimide or iodoacetamide conjugating moieties can be attached post-synthetically. The conjugating moieties may include a reporter group. Also disclosed are new methods for detecting single nucleotide polymorphism.