Patent ID: 8241854
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: C12N,C12Q,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting the presence of a detection target by modulating the expression of a marker gene, the method comprising: providing an initiator to a cell, wherein the cell comprises a detection target, a silencing target gene, and a marker gene, wherein the detection target is different from the silencing target gene, wherein the initiator comprises a nucleic acid sequence comprising a) a detection binding region that binds to the detection target and b) an initiator region; providing a first substrate monomer to the cell, wherein the first substrate monomer comprises a silencing target complement region that is substantially complementary to a portion of the silencing target gene, and an initiator complement region, wherein the initiator complement region hybridizes to the initiator region; and providing a second substrate monomer to the cell, wherein the second substrate monomer comprises a silencing target region that is substantially complementary to the silencing target complement region, wherein binding of the detection target to the initiator initiates hybridization of the silencing target complement region of the first substrate monomer to the silencing target region of the second substrate monomer and formation of an inactivator double-stranded RNA (inactivator dsRNA) which silences the silencing target gene, and wherein said silencing of the silencing target gene modulates the expression of said marker gene; determining the level of expression of said marker gene; and assessing whether said maker gene is expressed at a level that is different than a predetermined level, thereby detecting the presence of said detection target.