Blotto (biology)
Encyclopedia
In biology
, BLOTTO is a blocking reagent made from nonfat dry milk
, phosphate buffered saline
, and sodium azide
. Its name is an acronym of Bovine Lacto Transfer Technique Optimizer. It constitutes an inexpensive source of nonspecific protein (milk casein) which blocks protein binding sites in a variety of experimental paradigms, notably Southern blots, Western blots, and ELISA. Its use was first reported in 1984 by Johnson and Elder's lab at Scripps. Prior to 1984, partially purified proteins such as bovine serum albumin
, ovalbumin
, or gelatin from various species had been used as blocking reagents but had the disadvantage of being expensive.
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, BLOTTO is a blocking reagent made from nonfat dry milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
, phosphate buffered saline
Phosphate buffered saline
Phosphate buffered saline is a buffer solution commonly used in biological research. It is a water-based salt solution containing sodium chloride, sodium phosphate, and, in some formulations, potassium chloride and potassium phosphate. The buffer's phosphate groups help to maintain a constant pH...
, and sodium azide
Sodium azide
Sodium azide is the inorganic compound with the formula NaN3. This colourless azide salt is the gas-forming component in many car airbag systems. It is used for the preparation of other azide compounds. It is an ionic substance and is highly soluble in water. It is extremely...
. Its name is an acronym of Bovine Lacto Transfer Technique Optimizer. It constitutes an inexpensive source of nonspecific protein (milk casein) which blocks protein binding sites in a variety of experimental paradigms, notably Southern blots, Western blots, and ELISA. Its use was first reported in 1984 by Johnson and Elder's lab at Scripps. Prior to 1984, partially purified proteins such as bovine serum albumin
Bovine serum albumin
Bovine serum albumin is a serum albumin protein derived from cows. It is often used as a protein concentration standard....
, ovalbumin
Ovalbumin
Ovalbumin is the main protein found in egg white, making up 60-65% of the total protein. Ovalbumin displays sequence and three-dimensional homology to the serpin superfamily, but unlike most serpins it is not a serine protease inhibitor...
, or gelatin from various species had been used as blocking reagents but had the disadvantage of being expensive.