Remember Blotting Techniques With Mnemonics | Southern, Northern,and Western Blot Mnemonic.



A blot, in molecular biology, refers to a method of transferring DNA, RNA, or protein, from gel on to a carrier (e.g:  nitrocellulose membrane ), followed by their detection by using specific nucleic acid probes (for DNA or RNA detection ) or enzyme immunoassay (for protein detection ).
There are various blotting techniques:
1. Southern blot.
2. ‎Northern blot.
3. ‎Western blot.
4. ‎Eastern blot: “It is a modification of Western blot, used to analyze proteins for post-translational modification used probes that may detect lipids, carbohydrate, phosphorylation or any other protein modification.”

Blotting Techniques Mnemonics : Southern, Northern,and Western Blot Mnemonic.

Coming to your Favorite part "Mnemonics".

The mnemonic to remember blotting techniques is "SNOW DROP"


S -    Southern -  DNA -    D
N -   Northern -  RNA -     R
O -   Oooooo -   Ooooo -  O
W -  Western -   Protein -  P

Blotting Techniques Mnemonics. 

Cool facts on blotting techniques that are not covered in the Mnemonic:

1.If you want to visualize DNA at replication level, you will use Southern blot. This will require a DNA probe attached to phosphate.

2.RNA at transcription level can be visualized with the Northern blot. This will require a DNA probe attached to phosphate too.

3.Remember: If you want to visualize protein at the transcription level, you will go with Northern blot!

4.Proteins at translation level are just antigens (Whether they are cell membrane, cytoplasmic or secretory proteins!) Therefore, antibodies (not probes) are used to visualize proteins by western blot.

5.DNA binding proteins also known as transcription factors go to the nucleus and bind to DNA. They are proteins but they work at the DNA level. They are different than just regular antigens and therefore, we use DNA probe (not antibodies!) to visualize them. This is known as the South Western blot :)

Hope you liked our article for blotting techniques, this mnemonics would definitely help you to remember the all blots without any confusion . 

This article was first published in in Medicowesome.

Till the keep studying xD