Western blot or western blot? - (Mar/07/2007 )

Hi all,

A rather odd question but I'm writing my PhD thesis and I'd like to know whether you spell Western blot with a capital 'W' or a small case 'w' when it's in the middle of a sentence? I've seen it spelt both with 'W' and 'w' so is it just preference?

Thanks

Sxxx

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I would use 'w' if its in the middle of a sentence. Check with your PI.

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I think it derives from a pun with Edwin Southern´s name, who invented the Southern blot; so Western blot isn´t a proper name but adapted to a proper name (Southern) and therefore should be written with capital "W"; the same counts for Northern blot; "western" written with small letter suggests an adjective without making any sense

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I second Bearer. In the literature, you will see most people use capital "W" for Western blot.

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Cheers guys,

Yeah my gut feeling was 'Western' so I'll probably use that in the end!

Sxxx

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I disagree strongly -- the opposite logic applies. "Southern blot" is capitalized only because "Southern" is a proper name; all other blotting methods do not cite proper names, and thus are not capitailized. Puns do not negate grammar...

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agree with pcrman and the Bearer, regardless of names..it would more clear if you captilize the letter..anyone will recognize the term mentioned as "the blot"..not anything else

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I think it is a case of doubt: concerning orthography (not grammar) you may find criteria for the one or the other notation; so one has to justify what is "western" (as a geographical direction) of a Western blot, or if it is a tribute to an imaginery Mr or Ms Western;

by the way, does anyone know if there are the surnames "Western" or "Northern" existing in reality?

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So, because we have Gram stain and Coomassie stain, all stains must be capitalized? There is no issue here -- the correct way to do it is clear and unambiguous.

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You sound like a prof
Don't the previous posts contradict that the correct way is clear and ubnambiguous?
And why don't you give a clear and unambiguous answer then, since you are perfectly right?

As in:

Southern blot is capitalized because it was named after Edward Southern - northern and western blot are not capitalized, as these terms were only introduced as
plays on the Southern blot. The same goes for stains - "Gram stain" and "Coomassie stain" are capitalized as they are named after the people that developed them, as opposed to a "crystal violet stain".

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