Antisense fingerloop dnas and uses thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to improved methods for detecting nucleic acids using DNA fingerloop stem loop structures, wherein the DNA fingerloop stem loop structures diminish base pairing of a detection probe to a mismatched target nucleic acid. The present disclosure also relates to improved methods for amplifying nucleic acids. Further disclosed are chimeric fingerloop DNAs for use in methods for modulating protein expression levels and/or RNA stability.

1 . A method for detecting a target nucleic acid sequence, comprising the steps:
 providing a nucleic acid sample from a subject;   detecting the target nucleic acid sequence using a detection probe, wherein the detection probe comprises a DNA fingerloop stem loop structure;
 wherein the DNA fingerloop stem loop structure comprises an antisense region that binds to the target nucleic acid sequence; 
 wherein the antisense region is located in a loop and in one strand of the stem loop of the DNA fingerloop stem loop structure; 
 wherein the DNA fingerloop stem loop structure diminishes base pairing to a mismatched target nucleic acid; and 
   wherein the stem loop has a stem region of about 7 to about 20 base-pairs.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DNA fingerloop stem loop structure provides increased detection specificity of the target nucleic acid sequence. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detection probe is capable of hybridizing to an RNA target molecule. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detection probe is capable of hybridizing to a DNA target molecule. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one strand of the stem loop is a descending strand of the stem loop. 
     
     
         7 . The method  claim 1 , wherein the one strand of the stem loop is an ascending strand of the stem loop. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antisense region that binds to the target nucleic acid sequence comprises from about 10 to about 35 nucleotides. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DNA fingerloop stem loop structure that binds to the target nucleic acid sequence comprises from about 25 to about 60 nucleotides. 
     
     
         10 - 23 . (canceled)