Studies towards the development of chemically synthesized non-radioactive biotinylated nucleic acid hybridization probes.

Non-radioactive nucleic acid hybridization probes have been constructed in which the reporter group is long chain biotin chemically linked to a basic macromolecule (histone H1, cytochrome C or polyethyleneimine). The modified basic macromolecule which carries many biotin residues can, in turn, be covalently linked to nucleic acids (DNA) via the bifunctional cross-linking reagents, glutaraldehyde, 1,2,7,8-diepoxyoctane, bis (succinimidyl) suberate or bis (sulfonosuccinimidyl) suberate. This provides a very sensitive probe by which as little as between 10-50fg of target DNA can be visualized using dot-blot hybridization procedures in conjunction with avidin or streptavidin enzyme conjugates.