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Abstract

The present invention discloses an assay for nucleic acid which comprises the steps of; (a) providing a probe material comprising; (i) a sequence of nucleic acids complementary to a given target sequence and, (ii) a first ligand chemically linked thereto and capable of a specific binding reaction with an antiligand; (b) contacting the said probe material with an assay system comprising: (i) a suitable mediator, enzyme, substrate system capable of transferring charge to an electrode surface when the enzyme is catalytically active, and; (ii) a second ligand chemically linked to one of said mediator, enzyme or substrate, wherein the second ligand is capable of a competitive binding reaction with the antiligand, and; (iii) the said antiligand, Whereby the said first ligand competes with the said second ligand in a specific binding reaction with the antiligand, and; (c) contacting the above system with a solution suspected of containing the said target sequence whereby the binding of any of the said target sequence present to the probe affects the availability of the first ligand and therefore alters the rate of charge transfer to the electrode.

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First Claim