Patent ID: 6495324
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: B01J,B82B,B82Y,C07B,C07H,C12Q,C40B

Abstract:
A method of detecting nucleic acid having at least two portions comprising:contacting a nucleic acid to be detected with a substrate having oligonucleotides attached thereto, the oligonucleotides having a sequence complementary to a first portion of the sequence of said nucleic acid, the contacting taking place under conditions effective to allow hybridization of the oligonucleotides on the substrate with said nucleic acid; contacting said nucleic acid bound to the substrate with liposomes having oligonucleotides attached thereto, the oligonucleotides having a sequence complementary to a portion of the sequence of said nucleic acid, the contacting taking place under conditions effective to allow hybridization of the oligonucleotides on the liposomes with said nucleic acid; providing an aggregate probe comprising at least two types of nanoparticles having oligonucleotides attached thereto, the oligonucleotides attached to the nanoparticles having first and second ends wherein the first ends are attached to the nanoparticles and the second ends are not attached to the nanoparticles, the nanoparticles of the aggregate probe being bound to each other as a result of the hybridization of some of the oligonucleotides attached to them, at least one of the types of nanoparticles of the aggregate probe having oligonucleotides attached thereto which have a hydrophobic group attached to the second end; contacting the liposomes bound to the substrate with the aggregate probe under conditions effective to allow attachment of the oligonucleotides on the aggregate probe to the liposomes as a result of hydrophobic interactions; and observing a detectable change.