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Northern blot
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{{Short description|Molecular biology technique}} [[File:Northern blot diagram.png|thumb|212x212px|Flow diagram outlining the general procedure for RNA detection by northern blotting.]] The '''northern blot''', or RNA blot,<ref name=Gilbert2000>Gilbert, S. F. (2000) Developmental Biology, 6th Ed. Sunderland MA, Sinauer Associates.</ref> is a technique used in [[molecular biology]] research to study [[gene expression]] by detection of [[RNA]] (or isolated [[mRNA]]) in a sample.<ref name="Alberts2008" /><ref name=Kevil1997>Kevil, C. G., Walsh, L., Laroux, F. S., Kalogeris, T., Grisham, M. B., Alexander, J. S. (1997) An Improved, Rapid Northern Protocol. Biochem. and Biophys. Research Comm. 238:277β279.</ref> With northern blotting it is possible to observe cellular control over structure and function by determining the particular gene expression rates during differentiation and [[morphogenesis]], as well as in abnormal or diseased conditions.<ref name=Schlamp2008>{{cite journal | last1 = Schlamp | first1 = K. | last2 = Weinmann | first2 = A. | last3 = Krupp | first3 = M. | last4 = Maass | first4 = T. | last5 = Galle | first5 = P. R. | last6 = Teufel | first6 = A. | year = 2008 | title = BlotBase: A northern blot database | journal = Gene | volume = 427 | issue = 1β2| pages = 47β50 | doi = 10.1016/j.gene.2008.08.026 | pmid = 18838116 }}</ref> Northern blotting involves the use of [[electrophoresis]] to separate RNA samples by size, and detection with a [[hybridization probe]] complementary to part of or the entire target sequence. Strictly speaking, the term 'northern blot' refers specifically to the capillary transfer of RNA from the electrophoresis gel to the blotting membrane. However, the entire process is commonly referred to as northern blotting.<ref name=Trayhurn1996>Trayhurn, P. (1996) Northern Blotting. Pro. Nutrition Soc. 55:583β589.</ref> The northern blot technique was developed in 1977 by James Alwine, [[David Kemp (Australian scientist)|David Kemp]], and George Stark at [[Stanford University]].<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Alwine JC, Kemp DJ, Stark GR |title=Method for detection of specific RNAs in agarose gels by transfer to diazobenzyloxymethyl-paper and hybridization with DNA probes |journal=Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. |volume=74 |issue=12 |pages=5350β4 |year=1977 |pmid=414220| doi = 10.1073/pnas.74.12.5350 |pmc=431715|bibcode=1977PNAS...74.5350A |doi-access=free }}</ref> Northern blotting takes its name from its similarity to the first blotting technique, the [[Southern blot]], named for biologist [[Edwin Southern]].<ref name=Alberts2008>Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J. Raff, M., Roberts, K., Walter, P. 2008. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 5th ed. Garland Science, Taylor & Francis Group, NY, pp 538β539.</ref> The major difference is that RNA, rather than [[DNA]], is analyzed in the northern blot.<ref name=Bor2006>{{Cite journal | last1 = Bor | year = 2006 | first1 = Y.C. | last2 = Swartz | first2 = J. | last3 = Li | first3 = Y. | last4 = Coyle | first4 = J. | last5 = Rekosh | first5 = D. | last6 = Hammarskjold | first6 = Marie-Louise | title = Northern Blot analysis of mRNA from mammalian polyribosomes | journal = Nature Protocols | doi = 10.1038/nprot.2006.216 | doi-access = free }}</ref>
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