Patent ID: 6849412

Claim:
A molecular torch consisting essentially of: a target binding domain comprising nucleotide base recognition groups; a target closing domain comprising nucleotide base recognition groups, wherein said target binding domain is biased toward a target nucleic acid sequence, such that said target binding domain forms a more stable hybrid with said target sequence than with said target closing domain under strand displacement conditions; a joining region comprising one or more non-nucleotide linkers which joins said target binding domain and said target closing domain, wherein said joining region facilitates the formation of a target binding domain:target closing domain hybrid in the absence of said target sequence; and first and second labels, wherein said first label is attached to said target binding domain and said second label is attached to said target closing domain, and wherein said first and second labels interact to produce a first signal when said target binding domain and said target closing domain form a target binding domain:target closing domain hybrid and a second signal when said target binding domain and said target closing domain do not form said target binding domain:target closing domain hybrid, said first and second signals being distinguishable from each other.