Patent ID: 6180350
Filing Date: 2001-01-30
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
A device for detecting the presence or absence of a signal nucleic acid comprising:a) an electrode or interferometric sensor;b) a first nucleic acid covalently bound to said electrode or interferometric sensor, said first nucleic acid having two or more donor nucleotides capable of donating an electron, said donor nucleotides having a position in said first nucleic acid where one donor nucleotide is proximal to said electrode or interferometric sensor, said first nucleic acid having a modified nucleotide adjacent to one of said donor nucleotides, said modified nucleotide capable of receiving said electron from said donor nucleotides upon photo-excitation and maintaining said electron for a first period of time when said first nucleic acid is unhybridized and a second period of time when said first nucleic acid is hybridized to said signal nucleic acid, said first and second periods being different, said electrode or interferometric sensor in communication with said first nucleic acid to receive and donate electrons;c) a photon source for emitting photons on said first nucleic acid; and,d) a charge monitor in communication with said electrode or interferometric sensor for measuring the charge on said electrode or interferometric sensor as said first nucleic acid receives photons from said photon source which charge on said electrode is different in the presence of signal nucleic acid and said difference is indicative of the presence or absence of said signal nucleic acid.