Monitoring oligonucleotide binding processes using chemiluminescence quenching

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Oligonucleotide building processes are monitored by means of an oligonucleotide probe which in one embodiment is labelled at one end with a chemiluminescent label and at the other end with a quencher molecule. The conformation of the oligonucleotide probe changes according to whether the probe hybridises with a substantially complementary nucleic acid sequence. In the non-hybridised state the chemiluminescent label is sufficiently close proximity to the quencher that the chemiluminescent emission is substantially attenuated, but in the hybridised state the separation is such that there is little or no attenuation. Particular probes and emitter/quencher pairs are disclosed.