Oh, you thought we were done? There’s also the Eastern blot and the Far Western blot. Yes, Eastern blot detects post-translational modifications (think: protein accessorizing). And Far Western blot? That’s for protein-protein interactions, which is basically the biological equivalent of speed dating. All of them? Capitalized. Except for “eastern” sometimes, because nobody can agree on anything in science.
What Is Western Blot _ Western Bolt – VHKTX
So, the takeaway? Capitalize Western blot. Always. Even if it hurts your sense of grammatical justice. You’re honoring a pun from the 1970s, and that’s beautiful.
A Quick Cheat Sheet for Your Lab Wall
Print this out and stick it next to your PCR machine: Southern blot (capital S)—named after Ed Southern. Northern blot (lowercase n, but some journals capitalize it)—a pun, not a person. Western blot (capital W, capital B)—the main event. Eastern blot (capital E)—respect the compass, folks. And Far Western blot (capital F, capital W)—for when your proteins need to mingle.
