Patent ID: 7875426
Filing Date: 2011-01-25
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting a target nucleic acid comprising the steps of: a) contacting a silicon-based biochip with a nucleic acid containing sample to be tested for the presence of the target nucleic acid, wherein said biochip comprises a silicon wafer comprising a bottom layer that provides ohmic contact and said biochip further comprising microcavities in said silicon wafer, and wherein said nucleic acid is contacted with the surface of said silicon wafer of said biochip in the presence of tetra-ethyl-ortho-silicate (TEOS), wherein nucleic acid present in said sample binds to and becomes immobilized on the surface of said silicon wafer of said biochip; b) contacting said biochip with a detector nucleic acid that comprises a nucleotide sequence that is substantially complementary with the sequence of said target nucleic acid under conditions that permit hybridization of the detector nucleic acid to the target nucleic acid and wherein nucleic acid that does not have a nucleotide sequence substantially complementary with the nucleotide sequence of the target nucleic acid does not hybridize to the target nucleic acid; and c) detecting said detector nucleic acid hybridized to nucleic acids immobilized on the surface of said silicon wafer of said biochip.