Patent ID: 8592202

Claim:
A molecular biosensor, the biosensor having two constructs, the constructs comprising: R 1 —R 2 —R 3 —R 4 ; and R 5 —R 6 —R 7 —R 8 ; wherein: R 1 is a peptide epitope binding agent that binds to a first epitope on a target molecule; R 2 is a non-nucleic acid flexible linker attaching R 1 to R 3 ; R 3 and R 7 are a pair of complementary nucleotide sequences having a free energy for association, over the entire length of the nucleotide sequence, from about 5.5 kcal/mole to 8.0 kcal/mole at a temperature from about 21° C. to about 40° C. and at a salt concentration from about 1 mM to about 100 mM, such that R 3 and R 7 only associate when R 1 and R 5 are bound to the target molecule; R 4 and R 8 together comprise a detection means such that when R 3 and R 7 associate a detectable signal is produced; R 5 is an epitope binding agent that binds to a second epitope on the target molecule; and R 6 is a non-nucleic acid flexible linker attaching R 5 to R 7 .