How Do You Spell NORTHERN BLOTTING?

1. Northern blotting is a laboratory technique used in molecular biology and genetics to study gene expression. It is a variation of the traditional Southern blotting technique, developed by Edwin Southern in the 1970s. Northern blotting specifically focuses on the detection and analysis of RNA molecules.

   The method involves the separation of RNA molecules through gel electrophoresis, a process that separates the molecules based on their size. The RNA molecules are then transferred onto a nitrocellulose or nylon membrane, preserving their spatial arrangement from the gel. This preserves the pattern of gene expression in the original sample.

   To detect specific RNA molecules, the membrane is then incubated with a labeled probe, which is a complementary DNA or RNA molecule that specifically hybridizes to the target RNA sequence. The labeled probe binds to the target RNA, forming a stable hybrid. Subsequently, the excess probe is washed away, and the specific RNA bands can be visualized using various detection methods, such as autoradiography or fluorescence detection.

   Northern blotting is a powerful technique for analyzing the expression pattern and quantity of specific RNA molecules. It enables researchers to study various aspects of gene expression, such as the identification of specific RNA transcripts, the analysis of alternative splicing events, and the determination of transcript size and abundance.

   Despite its widespread usage, Northern blotting has been largely substituted by more sensitive and high-throughput techniques, such as quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq).

Common Misspellings for NORTHERN BLOTTING

The word "Northern blotting" is a molecular biology technique named after its similarity to another technique called "Southern blotting". Both techniques are named after Edwin Southern, the scientist who developed the original Southern blotting technique in the 1970s.

The term "Southern blotting" was created as a pun on Southern's name and refers to the transfer of DNA fragments from a gel to a solid support membrane. This technique allowed the identification and analysis of specific DNA sequences by probing the membrane with complementary DNA or RNA probes.

Following the success of Southern blotting, a similar technique was developed to study RNA molecules instead of DNA. The new technique involves the transfer of RNA fragments from a gel to a membrane, followed by hybridization with complementary DNA or RNA probes.