| abstract |
A method for detecting the presence of a particular organism, infectious agent, or component of a cell or organism in a biological sample. A polynucleotide probe capable of hybridizing to an analyte polynucleotide belonging to the organism, infectious agent, or cellular component is bound to a solid support, such as a microtiter well, thereby forming a solid support-polynucleotide structure. A second, labeled polynucleotide probe is then hybridized to this support-polynucleotide structure. Alternative embodiments make use of the Polymerase Chain Reaction. Also included in the present invention are polynucleotide probes and primers. |