Patent ID: 8221974

Claim:
A method of detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid sequence in a sample, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising: a plurality of first oligonucleotides immobilized to the substrate by their 3′-ends and having sequences that are complementary to a first portion of the target nucleic acid sequence; and a plurality of second oligonucleotides immobilized to the substrate by their 5′-ends and having sequences that are complementary to a second portion of the target nucleic acid sequence; wherein the plurality of first oligonucleotides and the plurality of second oligonucleotides are immobilized at positions on the substrate that are spaced apart at a distance that allows: the first portion of the target nucleic sequence to hybridize to one of the first oligonucleotides and the second portion of the target nucleic acid sequence to hybridize to one of the second oligonucleotides to form a cross-linked structure comprising: the one of the first oligonucleotides, the one of the second oligonucleotides, and the target nucleic acid sequence crosslinking the one of the first oligonucleotides and the one of the second oligonucleotides; and formation of a plurality of the cross-linked structures when a plurality of the target nucleic acid sequence are present in the sample, the plurality of the cross-linked structures being intertwined with each other defining a reticulated space; contacting the substrate with the sample and allowing the formation of the reticulated space defined by the intertwined cross-linked structures when the plurality of the target nucleic acid sequence are present in the sample; contacting the substrate with a ligand and capturing the ligand within the reticulated space, the ligand being reactive with an active substance to produce a detectable signal; contacting the substrate with the active substance; and detecting a signal generated by the ligand reacting with the active substance; wherein detection of a signal indicates the presence of the target nucleic sequence in the sample.