Patent ID: 7270956

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 complementary to the target polynucleotide, said sensor polynucleotide conjugated to the signaling chromophore, wherein said sensor polynucleotide can interact with the multichromophore and emitted light can be produced from the signaling chromophore upon excitation of the multichromophore, 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 as compared to in the presence of a noncomplementary 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; exciting the multichromophore with a light source; and detecting if light is emitted from the signaling chromophore.