×

Homogenous protection assay

  • US 5,283,174 A
  • Filed: 11/08/1990
  • Issued: 02/01/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1987
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A homogeneous assay method for determining the presence or amount of a first nucleic acid in a medium, comprising the steps of:

  • contacting a free second nucleic acid with said medium to form a hybridization mixture, wherein said free second nucleic acid is able to hybridize with said first nucleic acid under hybridizing conditions to form a binding pair, and wherein said second nucleic acid is chemically bonded to an N-acridinium ester which is selectively susceptible to chemical degradation by a chemical selected from the group consisting of an acid, a base, and an oxidizing agent, to form an altered N-acridinium ester dependent upon whether said second nucleic acid is free or forms part of said binding pair;

    treating said hybridization mixture with said chemical such that N-acridinium ester chemically bonded to free second nucleic acid is degraded to form altered N-acridinium ester and N-acridinium ester present in a binding pair is undegraded; and

    determining the amount of undegraded N-acridinium ester remaining after said treating step, without physically separating any said free second nucleic acid from any said binding pair, as a measure of the presence or amount of said first nucleic acid.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×