Southern Blot for DNA Detection

Southern blotting is a DNA detection method used after agarose gel electrophoresis separates DNA fragments by size. A DNA ladder with fragments of known length is run beside the sample so the fragment size can be estimated. The blot adds another step when scientists need to confirm the sequence identity of the DNA.

Southern blotting is a technique where a labeled DNA probe hybridizes with a target DNA to detect a particular sequence within a genome.

The technique is named after Edwin Southern, the British biologist who first developed it.

The procedure follows five main steps: electrophoresis, denaturation, membrane transfer, hybridization, a...