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Abstract

The present invention provides a process for the detection of nucleic acids of definite sequence by hybridisation with two single-stranded nucleic acid probes present in the same solution phase complementary to different regions of the nucleic acid to be detected, one nucleic acid probe serving as detector probe and containing as labelling at least one hapten bound via a chemical linkage and the other nucleic acid probe serving as capturing probe and being bound to a solid matrix, wherein, as hapten, a steroid is used which on at least one position of the detector probe, which does not participate in the hydrogen bridge formation with the nucleic acid to be detected, is covalently bound via a bridge of at least four atoms, the nucleic acid to be detected, present in solution, is incubated with the detector probe and the capturing probe in any desired sequence, whereby the binding of the capturing probe on the matrix with the nucleic acid to be detected is brought about before, during or after the incubation, the remaining solution is separated off from the matrix-bound complex of the capturing probe, nucleic acid to be detected and detector probe and the complex detected via an anti-hapten antibody which is labelled.

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First Claim