Scaffolded Chromophores for Nucleic Acid Detection and Methods and Uses Thereof

A method of assaying a sample for the presence of a target nucleic acid, the method comprising:

• (a) producing a reaction mixture comprising:
• the sample;
• and
• a nucleic acid probe comprising:
• a nucleic acid complementary to the target nucleic acid, wherein the nucleic acid comprises a plurality of nucleotides forming a chain from a 5′-end to a 3′-end,
• a dye structure linked to a first end of the nucleic acid, wherein the dye structure comprises:
• a non-conjugated polymeric backbone,
• one or more donor fluorophores linked to the non-conjugated polymeric backbone, and
• one or more acceptor fluorophores linked to the non-conjugated polymeric backbone, wherein the donor and acceptor fluorophores are in energy transfer relationship, and
• a quencher linked to a second end of the nucleic acid, wherein the quencher and acceptor fluorophores are in energy transfer relationship;
• and
• wherein the nucleic acid probe hybridizes to any copies of the target nucleic acid in the sample;
• and
• (b) monitoring the reaction mixture for a signal emitted from the dye structure to assay the sample for the presence of the target nucleic acid.