Structures incorporating conformationally flexible conjugated polymers and methods of use

A structure comprising one conformationally flexible conjugated polymer bound to or associated with at least one member of a binding pair comprising one sensor molecule and a target molecule or the complex they form, wherein the polymer comprises at least one angled linker having bonds to its two adjacent polymeric units which form an angle of less than about 155° with respect to one another;

• wherein the sensor molecule is a polynucleotide, an antibody, a peptide, or a protein;
• and wherein the polymer is a compound of Formula A
• wherein:
• b, c and f are 0, such that LU1, CP2 and CP4 are absent;
• R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are each independently selected from alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkynyl, and aryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, and polyalkylene oxide, each optionally substituted, and each optionally contain one or more heteroatoms, or is not present:
• A, B, C and D are each independently selected from H, —SiR′R″R′″, —N+R′R″R′″, a guanidinium group, histidine, a polyamine, a pyridinium group, and a sulfonium group;
• R′, R″ and R′″ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-12 alkyl and C1-12 alkoxy and C3-10 cycloalkyl;
• m and n are independently 0 to about 10,000, wherein n>1;
• e is 1 to about 250;
• a and d are independently 0 to about 250;
• and
• G and G1 are independently hydrogen or an optionally substituted aryl group.