Abstract: The present disclosure relates to compositions of matter and assay methods used to detect one or more target nucleic acids of interest in a sample. The compositions and methods allow one to control reaction kinetics of the cascade assay by two orders of magnitude via molecular design of one of the reaction components; further, varying molecular design also allows for quantification of target nucleic acids of interest over a large range of concentrations or discriminating between extremely low copy numbers of target nucleic acids of interest.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a CRISPR nuclease cascade assay that can detect one or more target nucleic acids of interest of interest at attamolar (aM) (or lower) limits in about 10 minutes or less without the need for amplifying the target nucleic acids of interest. The CRISPR cascade assays utilize signal amplification mechanisms comprising various components including CRISPR nucleases, guide RNAs (gRNAs), blocked nucleic acid molecules, blocked primer molecules, and reporter moieties.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes compositions of matter comprising a ribonucleoprotein complex comprising a nucleic acid-guided nuclease and a guide RNA, and further comprising and a blocking nucleic acid molecule represented by Formula I, wherein Formula I in the 5?-to-3? direction comprises: A-(B-L)J-C-M-T-D; wherein A is 0-15 nucleotides in length; B is 4-12 nucleotides in length; L is 3-25 nucleotides in length; J is an integer between 1 and 10; C is 4-15 nucleotides in length; M is 1-25 nucleotides in length or is absent, wherein if M is absent then A-(B-L)J-C and T-D are separate nucleic acid strands; T is 17-135 nucleotides in length and comprises at least 50% sequence complementarity to B and C; D is 0-10 nucleotides in length and comprises at least 50% sequence complementarity to A; and wherein the blocking nucleic acid molecule comprises a sequence complementary to a gRNA.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes compositions of matter comprising a ribonucleoprotein complex comprising a nucleic acid-guided nuclease and a guide RNA, and further comprising and a blocking nucleic acid molecule represented by Formula I, wherein Formula I in the 5?-to-3? direction comprises: A-(B-L)J-C-M-T-D; wherein A is 0-15 nucleotides in length; B is 4-12 nucleotides in length; L is 3-25 nucleotides in length; J is an integer between 1 and 10; C is 4-15 nucleotides in length; M is 1-25 nucleotides in length or is absent, wherein if M is absent then A-(B-L)J-C and T-D are separate nucleic acid strands; T is 17-135 nucleotides in length and comprises at least 50% sequence complementarity to B and C; D is 0-10 nucleotides in length and comprises at least 50% sequence complementarity to A; and wherein the blocking nucleic acid molecule comprises a sequence complementary to a gRNA.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a nucleic acid-guided nuclease cascade assay that can detect one or more target nucleic acids of interest of interest at attamolar (aM) (or lower) limits in about 10 minutes or less without the need for amplifying the target nucleic acids of interest. The nucleic acid-guided nuclease cascade assays utilize signal amplification mechanisms comprising various components including nucleic acid-guided nucleases, guide RNAs (gRNAs), blocked nucleic acid molecules, blocked primer molecules, and reporter moieties.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a CRISPR nuclease cascade assay that can detect one or more target nucleic acids of interest of interest at attamolar (aM) (or lower) limits in about 10 minutes or less without the need for amplifying the target nucleic acids of interest. The CRISPR cascade assays utilize signal amplification mechanisms comprising various components including CRISPR nucleases, guide RNAs (gRNAs), blocked nucleic acid molecules, blocked primer molecules, and reporter moieties.