Abstract: The present invention provides an array of compositions useful for effecting and/or exhibiting changes in biological functioning and processing within cells and in biological systems containing such cells. In effect, these compositions combine chemical modifications and/or ligand additions with biological functions. The chemical modifications and/or ligand additions provide additional characteristics to the compositions without interfering substantially with their biological function. Such additional characteristics include nuclease resistance, targeting specific cells or specific cell receptors localizing to specific sites within cells and augmenting interactions between the compositions and target cells of interest as well as decreasing such interactions when desired. Also provided by the present invention are processes and kits.

Abstract: This invention provides methods for the detection of a target genetic material having a desired base sequence or gene. Also disclosed are methods for the detection of mutations. Also provided are components for use in such methods.The methods are based upon techniques which utilize two labeled single stranded polynucleotide segments which are complementary to the same or the opposite strands of the target genetic material. The methods of the invention result in the formation of a double hybrid and/or multihybrid.