METHOD AND REAGENT SYSTEM FOR DETECTING DNA OR RNA SEQUENCES IN A TEST MEDIUM CONTAINING SINGLE STRANDED DNA OR RNA USING ANTIBODIES TO INTERCALATION COMPLEXES WITH DOUBLE STRANDED NUCLEIC ACID

摘要

Nucleic acid hybridization assay methods and reagent systems for detecting a particular polynucleotide sequence in a test medium. An aggregate is formed in the assay reaction mixture comprising intercalation complexes between a nucleic acid intercalator and double stranded nucleic acid associated with the hybridization product of the sequence to be detected and a nucleic acid probe sequence. Hybridization of the probe with the sequence to be detected can then be determined by addition of an antibody, or a fragment thereof, capable of binding with the intercalation complexes in the formed aggregate and measuring the antibody or fragment thereof which becomes bound to such intercalation complexes associated with hybridized probe. In one preferred embodiment, this method eliminates the need to chemically modify the probe in order to form a labeled reagent. In another embodiment, the method provides an advantageous method for labeling the probe by chemical modification.