Blotto (biology)

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In biology, blotto is a blocking reagent made from non-fat dry milk and phosphate buffered saline. Its name is an acronym of Bovine Lacto Transfer Technique Optimizer. It constitutes an inexpensive source of relatively non-specific protein to block protein binding sites in a variety of experimental paradigms. 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 were used for similar purposes but these practices were unnecessarily expensive for the most part. Subsequent uses were found in Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays, Northern hybridization, and in the Polymerase Chain Reaction while another lab found that Irish Cream worked equally well.