Table 2.

Parameters used in theoretical calculations and source of values

Table of parameters
Fitted parameteres		Known parameters
α	Equal to greatest fluorescence in presence of target	P0	Initial probe concentration
β	Equal to lowest fluorescence in absence of target	T0	Initial target concentration
γ	Equal to greatest fluorescence when hairpin melts
ΔHstem	Fit to probes with no target
ΔSstem	Fit to probes with no target
ΔHdet	Fit to molecular beacons with target	Estimated parameters
ΔSdet	Fit to molecular beacons with target	PL	Calculated from linker length
ΔHpen	Fit to tentacle probes with target	ΔHcap	Estimated by Mfold
ΔSpen	Fit to tentacle probes with target	ΔScap	Estimated by Mfold