Nucleic acid hybridization assay and detectable molecules useful in such assay

Abstract

A detectable molecule of the formula A.sup.3 --(--X--R.sup.1 --E--Det.sup.b).sub.m where A.sup.3 is A.sup.2 or a polymer, where A.sup.3 has at least one modifiable reactive group selected from the group consisting of amino, hydroxy, cis OH, halides, aryl, imidazoyl, carbonyl, carboxy, thiol or a residue comprising an activated carbon; --X-- is selected from the group consisting of ##STR1## --R.sup.1 -- is ##STR2## or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 branched or unbranched alkyl or aralkyl, which may be substituted by --OH; --Y-- is a direct bond to --E--, or --Y-- is --E--R.sup.2 -- where R.sup.2 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 branched or unbranched alkyl; Z.sub.a is chlorine, bromine or iodine; E is O, NH or an acyclic divalent sulfur atom; Det.sup.b is a chemical moiety capable of being detected, preferably comprising biotin or a metal chelator of the formula: ##STR3## or the 4-hydroxy or acyloxy derivative thereof, where R.sup.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or CH.sub.2 COOM, M is the same or different and selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a metal or non-metal cation or is C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl, aryl or aralkyl; and m is an integer from 1 to the total number of modified reactive groups on A.sup.3. The detectable molecules are useful in in virto or in vivo assays or therapy.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.