If the environment is too stringent, what will happen to the probe and target?

In a stringent environment, conditions such as high temperatures or high salt concentrations can disrupt non-specific interactions between the probe and target nucleic acids. This results in a significant reduction in the likelihood of annealing or hybridization. When the environment is overly stringent, the probe is unable to form stable base pairs with the target DNA or RNA, leading to a failure in binding.

The binding of nucleic acids relies on specific hydrogen bonding between complementary bases, and if the conditions are too harsh, these interactions can be disrupted. An effective hybridization requires optimal temperature and ionic conditions to facilitate this process. Therefore, under stringent conditions, the probe and target will not bind, supporting the answer that they will not bind. Understanding this principle is essential when designing experiments involving probes in molecular biology, as it emphasizes the importance of optimizing environmental conditions for successful hybridization.