An automated multiplex detector system includes: (a) a nucleic acid amplification compartment for amplifying nucleic acid of one or more targets in a sample, and (b) an analysis compartment in fluid communication with the amplification compartment, the analysis compartment housing a nanoparticle-based multiplex detector capable of using the amplified nucleic acid of the amplification compartment and producing a signal that correlates with the presence of the one or more targets in the sample.

An automated multiplex detector system includes: (a) a nucleic acid amplification compartment for amplifying nucleic acid of one or more targets in a sample, and (b) an analysis compartment in fluid communication with the amplification compartment, the analysis compartment housing a nanoparticle-based multiplex detector capable of using the amplified nucleic acid of the amplification compartment and producing a signal that correlates with the presence of the one or more targets in the sample.

Related to is the field of nucleic acid testing, and in particular, a test kit or a method for testing a target nucleic acid in a sample. The test kit comprises therein a hybridization solution, which contains therein a non-ionic surfactant, a cationic polymer, and a buffer solution having a pH value in the range from 6.5 to 8.5. The test kit can further comprise therein a Tris-HCl color developing solution having a pH value in the range from 9.0 to 10.0 and containing a C.sub.8-C.sub.18 alkylglucoside. Testing target nucleic acid in a sample using the test kit has the advantages of short time consumption, easy operation, high throughput, and low costs.

Related to is the field of nucleic acid testing, and in particular, a test kit or a method for testing a target nucleic acid in a sample. The test kit comprises therein a hybridization solution, which contains therein a non-ionic surfactant, a cationic polymer, and a buffer solution having a pH value in the range from 6.5 to 8.5. The test kit can further comprise therein a Tris-HCl color developing solution having a pH value in the range from 9.0 to 10.0 and containing a C.sub.8-C.sub.18 alkylglucoside. Testing target nucleic acid in a sample using the test kit has the advantages of short time consumption, easy operation, high throughput, and low costs.

The present invention relates to a target discriminative probe (TD probe) and its uses or applications. The TD probe is hybridized with a target nucleic acid sequence through both of the 5′-second hybridization portion and the 3′-first hybridization portion. When the TD probe is hybridized with a non-target nucleic acid sequence, both the 5′-second hybridization portion and the separation portion are not hybridized with the non-target nucleic acid sequence such that both portions form a single strand due to its low Tm value. As such, the TD probe exhibits distinctly different hybridization patterns for each of the target and the non-target nucleic acid sequence, discriminating the target nucleic acid sequence from the non-target nucleic acid sequence with much higher specificity.

Improved multiple displacement amplification (MDA) reagents and methods are provided.

Improved multiple displacement amplification (MDA) reagents and methods are provided.

Provided herein are methods for analyzing hybridization between a target polynucleotide in a sample solution and probes bound to a surface, such as probes of a microarray. The methods involve contacting said sample solution to at least two probe sets, which are characterized in that the probes within each probe set have a hybridization sequence of a fixed length. Probes of different probe sets have hybridization sequences of different lengths. A comparison between the data obtained for the different probe sets allows for increasing the dynamic range of hybridization methods.

Provided herein are methods for analyzing hybridization between a target polynucleotide in a sample solution and probes bound to a surface, such as probes of a microarray. The methods involve contacting said sample solution to at least two probe sets, which are characterized in that the probes within each probe set have a hybridization sequence of a fixed length. Probes of different probe sets have hybridization sequences of different lengths. A comparison between the data obtained for the different probe sets allows for increasing the dynamic range of hybridization methods.

The present disclosure relates in some aspects to proteins and nucleic acids for probing analytes in a biological sample. In some embodiments, disclosed herein is a method in which detection probes (e.g., fluorescently labeled detection probes) may comprise a sequence of nucleobases on a synthetic backbone, the detection probes therefore generating a greater signal than reference detection probes having the same sequence of nucleobases on a sugar-phosphate backbone.