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What is the process of blotting? What is the difference between southern and Northern blotting?
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What is the process of blotting? What is the difference between southe...
Blotting Process


Blotting is a laboratory technique used to transfer DNA, RNA, or protein molecules from a gel to a membrane. The process involves three basic steps:


  1. Separation of molecules: The molecules of interest are separated using gel electrophoresis.

  2. Transfer to a membrane: The separated molecules are transferred to a membrane, typically made of nitrocellulose or nylon.

  3. Detection: The transferred molecules are detected using probes or antibodies that bind specifically to the molecule of interest.



Southern Blotting vs Northern Blotting


Southern blotting and Northern blotting are two variations of the blotting technique that are used to detect DNA and RNA molecules, respectively.

Southern Blotting


Southern blotting is used to detect specific DNA sequences in a sample. The process involves the following steps:


  1. DNA is extracted from the sample of interest and digested with restriction enzymes to produce fragments of varying lengths.

  2. The DNA fragments are separated by size using gel electrophoresis.

  3. The separated DNA fragments are transferred to a nitrocellulose or nylon membrane using a process called capillary transfer.

  4. A labeled DNA probe is added to the membrane, which hybridizes with the complementary DNA sequence of interest.

  5. The location of the labeled probe on the membrane is detected using autoradiography or chemiluminescence.



Southern blotting is commonly used in molecular biology research to detect gene mutations, to quantify gene expression, and to study DNA methylation patterns.

Northern Blotting


Northern blotting is used to detect specific RNA sequences in a sample. The process is similar to Southern blotting, but with a few key differences:


  1. RNA is extracted from the sample of interest and separated by size using gel electrophoresis.

  2. The separated RNA fragments are transferred to a nitrocellulose or nylon membrane using a process called capillary transfer.

  3. A labeled RNA probe is added to the membrane, which hybridizes with the complementary RNA sequence of interest.

  4. The location of the labeled probe on the membrane is detected using autoradiography or chemiluminescence.



Northern blotting is commonly used in molecular biology research to detect gene expression levels and to study RNA splicing patterns.
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