TARGET DETECTION SYSTEM HAVING A CONFORMATIONALLY SENSITIVE PROBE COMPRISING A NUCLEIC ACID BASED SIGNAL TRANSDUCER

摘要

Disclosed is a system for detecting at least one target agent in a sample. The system generally includes at least one probe adapated to relate presence of the target agent to a detectable change in probe conformation. Preferred probes include a conformationally responsive signal transducer that reports association of the target agent and the probe by detectably shifting from one hybridization state to another. The invention has a wide spectrum of important applications including use in the rapid detection of target agents in biological, industrial, and environmental samples.