Cycling probe technology using electron transfer detection

A kit comprising:

• a) a primary single-stranded scissile probe comprising:
• i) at least a first probe sequence comprising DNA;
• ii) at least a first scissile linkage comprising RNA;
• iii) at least a second probe sequence comprising DNA;
• b) at least a first electron transfer moiety (ETM);
• and
• c) an electrode comprising:
• i) a first detection single-stranded probe;
• and
• ii) a conductive oligomer covalently attached to both said electrode and said first detection probe.

A method of detecting the presence of a target sequence comprising:

• a) hybridizing a primary single-stranded scissile probe comprising:
• i) at least a first probe sequence comprising DNA;
• ii) at least a first scissile linkage comprising RNA;
• and
• iii) at least a second probe sequence comprising DNA;
• to a target sequence to form a first hybridization complex;
• b) cleaving said scissile linkage of said primary scissile probe resulting in the separation of said first and said second probe sequences and the disassociation of said hybridization complex, leaving the target sequence intact;
• c) repeating steps a) and b);
• d) hybridizing at least a first cleaved portion of a scissile probe to a first detection single-stranded probe covalently attached via a conductive oligomer to an electrode to form a second hybridization complex which contains at least a first ETM;
• and
• e) detecting the presence of said target sequence by measuring electron transfer between said first ETM and said electrode.