HYBRIDIZATION PROBES FOR NUCLEIC ACID DETECTION, UNIVERSAL STEMS, METHODS AND KITS

摘要

Unitary hybridization probes for the de- tection of nucleic acid target sequences com- prise a target complement sequence, an affin- ity pair holding the probe in a closed confor- mation in the absence of target sequence, and a label pair that interacts when the probe is in the closed conformation. Hybridiration of the target and target complement sequences shifts the probe to an open conformation. The shift is detectable due to reduced interaction of the la- bel pair. The unitary probes may be unimolec- ular or bimolecular. Also. universal stems and kits useful for construction said probes Also assays utilizing said probes and kits for per- forming such assays. One such probe (1) is shown in the figure.