Electrochemical detection of nucleic acid hybridization

Abstract

A method of detecting a nucleic acid (e.g., DNA, RNA) that contains at least one preselected base (e.g., adenine, guanine, 6-mercaptoguanine, 8-oxo-guanine, and 8-oxo-adenine) comprises (a) reacting the nucleic acid with a transition metal complex capable of oxidizing the preselected base in an oxidation-reduction reaction; (b) detecting the oxidation-reduction reaction; and (c) determining the presence or absence of the nucleic acid from the detected oxidation-reduction reaction at the preselected base. The method may be used in a variety of applications, including DNA sequencing, diagnostic assays, and quantitative analysis.

1 . A method of detecting DNA hybridization comprising: 
 (a) contacting a DNA sample with an oligonucleotide probe to form a hybridized DNA;    (b) reacting said hybridized DNA with a transition metal complex capable of oxidizing a preselected base in said oligonucleotide probe in an oxidation-reduction reaction, said oligonucleotide probe having at least one of said preselected bases;    (c) detecting said oxidation-reduction reaction;    (d) determining the presence or absence of hybridized DNA from said detected oxidation-reduction reaction at said preselected base.    
     
     
         2 - 151 . (canceled)