	US 7,488,581 B2
	Method for detecting a target nucleic acid sequence
Naoko Nakamura, Kawasaki (Japan); and Koji Hashimoto, Atsugi (Japan)
Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Mar. 20, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/378,453.
Prior Publication US 2007/0218464 A1, Sep. 20, 2007
Int. Cl. C12Q 1/68 (2006.01); C07H 21/02 (2006.01); C07H 21/04 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 435—6 [536/24.3; 536/23.1]

14 Claims

1. A method of detecting a target nucleic acid sequence comprising:

providing a stem-and-loop structured nucleic acid for measurement wherein the nucleic acid comprises complementary sequence portions located at both terminals and a target sequence portion therebetween as well as a double-stranded portion formed by hybridization of the complementary sequence portions located at both terminals and a remaining looped single-stranded portion;

providing a probe nucleic acid having a sequence complementary to the target sequence portion wherein one end of the probe nucleic acid being immobilized to a solid substrate surface;

reacting the nucleic acid for measurement with the probe nucleic acid to specifically hybridize the target sequence portion of the nucleic acid for measurement to the probe nucleic acid; and

detecting presence or absence of the nucleic acid for measurement hybridized to the probe nucleic acid by using a double strand specific intercalator, thereby detecting the target nucleic acid sequence.