Patent ID: 8617814

Claim:
An assay method comprising: providing a sample that is suspected of containing a target polynucleotide; providing a polycationic multichromophore that upon excitation is capable of transferring energy to a signaling chromophore; providing an anionic sensor polynucleotide that is single-stranded and is complementary to the target polynucleotide, said sensor polynucleotide conjugated to the signaling chromophore, wherein said sensor polynucleotide interacts with the multichromophore and emitted light can be produced from the signaling chromophore upon excitation of the multichromophore in the absence of target polynucleotide, and wherein a greater amount of emitted light is produced from the signaling chromophore upon excitation of the multichromophore in the presence of target polynucleotide; contacting the sample with the sensor polynucleotide and the multichromophore in a solution under conditions in which the sensor polynucleotide can hybridize to the target polynucleotide, if present; applying a light source to the solution that can excite the multichromophore; and detecting whether the light emitted from the signaling chromophore is increased in the presence of sample.