Patent ID: 8741566

Claim:
A method of detecting a target in a sample comprising: a) contacting a sample comprising the target with at least one recognition unit comprising at least one probe, such that the probe hybridizes or binds to the target to form a first complex, wherein the recognition unit further comprises at least one nucleic acid analog segment; b) contacting the first complex of (a) with at least one detection unit comprising at least one nucleic acid analog segment and at least one detectable label, wherein at least one nucleic acid analog segment of the recognition unit specifically hybridizes to at least one nucleic acid analog segment of the detection unit to form a second complex, wherein each of the nucleic acid analog segments on the recognition unit that specifically hybridize to the nucleic acid analog segments on the detection unit does not specifically hybridize or bind to the probe, does not specifically hybridize or bind to the detectable label, and does not specifically hybridize or bind to the target; wherein the detection unit does not specifically hybridize or bind to the target, does not specifically hybridize or bind to the detectable label, and does not specifically hybridize or bind to the probe; wherein at least one nucleic acid analog segment of at least one recognition unit or at least one detection unit comprises 6-thioguanine; wherein at least one nucleic acid analog segment of the recognition unit specifically hybridizes to at least one nucleic acid analog segment of the detection unit through base-pairing that comprises one or more 6-thioguanine:2-oxopyrimidine base pairs; and wherein each of the nucleic acid analog segments comprise a peptide-nucleic acid backbone; and c) detecting the second complex of (b).