Patent ID: 9428806
Filing Date: 2016-08-30
CPC Classification: C12Q,G01N

Claim Text:
1. A method for detecting the presence of nucleic acids with a target sequence in a sample, the method comprising: (a) providing a detection apparatus, said detection apparatus comprising: (b) introducing a liquid into said first and second chambers; (c) applying a direct electric current to said first and second electrodes with a negative polarity being connected to the first electrode; (d) measuring electric current between the electrodes as a reference current; (e) preparing at least one bead which is conjugated with one or more strands of capture probe nucleic acid that are complementary to a desired target sequence of a sample to be detected; (f) capping charged groups on the prepared beads to render the beads with a neutral charge; (g) introducing one or more of the capped beads and a sample into the first chamber to hybridize the capture probe to the desired target sequence; and (h) detecting the target sequence by measuring electric current between the electrodes after introduction of the beads and sample and comparing the measured current with the reference current; (i) wherein a decrease in measured electric current indicates the presence of one or more strands of target nucleic acid that are complementary to the probe sequence conjugated to the bead; and (j) wherein said decrease in measured electric current results from electrophoretic movement of the beads bound to charged target nucleic acid strands to a pore of diameter less than the bead diameter or tapered to a lesser diameter and the beads causing sustained blockage of one or more pores.