Binary probe system for sensitive detection of target analytes

1. A system for detecting a target analyte, the system comprising:

(a) a first oligonucleotide probe comprising: (i) at the 5′-terminus thereof, a reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of a first region of a reporter oligonucleotide; and (ii) at the 3′-terminus thereof, an analyte-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence characterized as selectively binding to a first region of a target analyte;

(b) a second oligonucleotide probe comprising: (i) at the 3′-terminus thereof, a reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of a second region of a reporter oligonucleotide; and (ii) at the 5′-terminus thereof, an analyte-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence characterized as selectively binding to a second region of a target analyte;

(c) a reporter oligonucleotide comprising: (i) a first region having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm of the first oligonucleotide probe; (ii) a second region having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm of the second oligonucleotide probe; (iii) a fluorophore and a quencher disposed on the reporter oligonucleotide whereby said fluorophore and quencher interact in the absence of a target analyte to quench fluorescence generated by the fluorophore; and (iv) a cleavable site disposed between the fluorescent label and the quencher, wherein the cleavable site is characterized as cleavable by a protein enzyme; and

wherein the target analyte, the first and second oligonucleotide probes, and the reporter oligonucleotide form a quadripartite complex, thereby providing a configuration of the cleavable site of the reporter oligonucleotide allowing said site to be cleaved by the protein enzyme.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein a cleavable site of the reporter oligonucleotide comprises a ribonucleotide.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm of at least one oligonucleotide probe comprises a nucleotide sequence that provides a site in the reporter oligonucleotide specifically cleavable by a restriction endonuclease when said oligonucleotide probe is hybridized to the reporter oligonucleotide, and the oligonucleotide-cleaving agent is said restriction endonuclease.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the protein enzyme is selected from the group consisting of: a restriction endonuclease, an RNase H, a Flap-endonuclease-1 (FEN-1), and a DNA glycosylase.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first oligonucleotide probe and the second oligonucleotide probe further comprises a linker connecting the analyte-binding arm and the reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm of said oligonucleotide probe.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reporter oligonucleotide is a molecular beacon characterized as having a stem-loop configuration in the absence of a target analyte.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the fluorophore and the quencher is attached to the reporter oligonucleotide at the 5′ or the 3′ terminus thereof.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the nucleotide sequences of the analyte-binding arms of the first and the second oligonucleotide probes are independently selected to specifically bind to a target analyte comprising a deoxyribonucleotide sequence, a ribonucleotide sequence, a double-stranded nucleic acid, a peptide, a polypeptide, or a variant thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first or the second oligonucleotide probe is tethered to a substrate.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of oligonucleotide probe pairs, each probe pair comprising a first oligonucleotide probe and a second oligonucleotide probe.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein one oligonucleotide probe in each probe pair is tethered to a substrate.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the oligonucleotide probe in each probe pair of the plurality of oligonucleotide probes is disposed on the substrate as an array.

13. A method of identifying a target analyte in a test sample, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) forming a reaction mix by combining the test sample with:

(a) a first oligonucleotide probe comprising: (i) at the 5′-terminus thereof, a reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of a first region of a reporter oligonucleotide; and (ii) at the 3′-terminus thereof, an analyte-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence characterized as selectively binding to a first region of a target analyte;

(b) a second oligonucleotide probe comprising: (i) at the 3′-terminus thereof, a reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of a second region of a reporter oligonucleotide; and (ii) at the 5′-terminus thereof, an analyte-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence characterized as selectively binding to a second region of a target analyte;

(c) a reporter oligonucleotide comprising: (i) a first region having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm of the first oligonucleotide probe; (ii) a second region having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm of the second oligonucleotide probe; (iii) a fluorophore and a quencher disposed on the reporter oligonucleotide whereby said fluorophore and quencher interact in the absence of a target analyte to quench fluorescence generated by the fluorophore; and (iv) a cleavable site disposed between the fluorescent label and the quencher, wherein the cleavable site is characterized as cleavable by a protein enzyme or a region of the first, and

(ii) incubating the reaction mix under conditions suitable for the formation of a quadripartite complex between the analyte-binding arms of the first and the second oligonucleotide probes, the target analyte in the test sample, and the reporter oligonucleotide, thereby exposing a cleavable site of the reporter oligonucleotide for cleavage;

(iii) cleaving at the cleavable site of the reporter oligonucleotide with the protein enzyme, thereby releasing the fluorophore, the quencher, or both the fluorophore and the quencher, from the quadripartite complex;

(iv) illuminating the reaction mix at a wavelength suitable for inducing a fluorescent emission by the fluorophore; and

(v) detecting the fluorescence emitted by the fluorophore, thereby detecting the presence of the target analyte in the test sample.

14. A kit comprising:

(a) a first oligonucleotide probe comprising: (i) at the 5′-terminus thereof, a reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of a first region of a reporter oligonucleotide; and (ii) at the 3′-terminus thereof, an analyte-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence characterized as selectively binding to a first region of a target analyte;

(b) a second oligonucleotide probe comprising: (i) at the 3′-terminus thereof, a reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of a second region of a reporter oligonucleotide; and (ii) at the 5′-terminus thereof, an analyte-binding arm having a nucleotide sequence characterized as selectively binding to a second region of a target analyte;

(c) a reporter oligonucleotide comprising: (i) a first region having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm of the first oligonucleotide probe; (ii) a second region having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the reporter oligonucleotide-binding arm of the second oligonucleotide probe; (iii) a fluorophore and a quencher disposed on the reporter oligonucleotide whereby said fluorophore and quencher interact in the absence of a target analyte to quench fluorescence generated by the fluorophore; and (iv) a cleavable site disposed between the fluorescent label and the quencher, wherein the cleavable site is characterized as cleavable by a protein enzyme, and wherein one oligonucleotide probe in each probe pair optionally is tethered to a substrate, and optionally disposed on the substrate as an array; wherein the target analyte, the first and second oligonucleotide probes, and the reporter oligonucleotide form a quadripartite complex, thereby providing a configuration of the cleavable site of the reporter oligonucleotide allowing said site to be cleaved by the protein enzyme; and

(d) optionally, packaging and instructions for the use of the kit to detect a target analyte in a test sample.

15. The kit of claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of oligonucleotide probe pairs, each probe pair comprising a first oligonucleotide probe and a second oligonucleotide probe.

16. The kit of claim 15 , wherein one oligonucleotide probe in each probe pair is tethered to a substrate.

17. The kit of claim 16 , wherein the oligonucleotide probe in each probe pair of the plurality of oligonucleotide probes is disposed on the substrate as an array.