Nucleic acid multimers and amplified nucleic acid hybridization assays using same
AssigneeChiron Corporation
InventorsMichael S. Urdea, Brian Warner, Thomas Horn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Linear or branched oligonucleotide multimers useful as amplifiers in biochemical assays which comprise (1) at least one first single-stranded oligonucleotide unit that is complementary to a single-stranded oligonucleotide sequence of interest, and (2) a multiplicity of second single-stranded oligonucleotide units that are complementary to a single-stranded labeled oligonucleotide. Amplified sandwich nucleic acid hybridizations and immunoassays using the multimers are exemplified.
Claims39
A synthetic branched nucleic acid multimer having a minimum of three termini independently selected from 5' and 3' termini said multimer comprising:
- (a) at least one first single-stranded oligonucleotide unit that is capable of hybridizing specifically to a first single-stranded nucleic acid sequence of interest;
- and
- (b) a multiplicity of second single-stranded oligonucleotide units each of which is capable of hybridizing specifically to a second single-stranded nucleic acid sequence of interest, wherein the first single-stranded oligonucleotide unit is bonded directly or indirectly to the multiplicity of second single-stranded oligonucleotide units only via covalent bonds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.