the invention teaches a novel reagent formulation for the efficient preparation of a nucleic acid template from cells for high throughput real - time pcr analysis . the reagent permits rapid cell lysis and template preparation without the need for template purification and isolation . the reagent therefore dramatically improves throughput of real - time pcr analysis while at the same time permitting the rapid and sensitive real - time catacleave pcr detection of a single molecule of nucleic acid template in as little as about 35 cycles of pcr amplification .