Improving NanoCluster Beacon performance by blocking the unlabeled NC probesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Explanation of the target specific signal (TSS), experimental methods, DNA sequences, supplemental figures. See DOI: 10.1039/c8cc08291j

While NanoCluster Beacon (NCB) is a versatile molecular probe, it suffers from a low target-specific signal issue due to impurities. Here we show that adding a "blocker" strand to the reaction can effectively block the nonfunctional probes and enhance the target-specific signal by 14 fold at a 0.1 target/probe ratio. Adding a blocker strand significantly enhances the NanoCluster Beacon's detection signal.