Biology
How DNA Base Pairing Drives Hybridization Assays in Molecular Diagnostics
Quick fact
Hybridization is so specific that even a single nucleotide mismatch can prevent binding, which is how tests can pinpoint one mutation among three billion base pairs.
Why this is interesting
You’ve likely had a DNA test, but have you ever wondered how a machine can tell a virus from your own genes in minutes? The secret lies in a simple rule of molecular attraction.