What are the applications of western blotting?

There are various applications of western blotting. One application is its use in protein detection. Western blotting enables the detection of specific proteins based on their molecular weight and type. Another application is its use in quantifying the abundance of a target protein in different samples. By comparing the intensity of protein bands on the blot to loading controls, researchers can determine changes in protein expression levels under different experimental conditions. In medicine, western blotting is used to confirm the presence of specific infectious diseases (e.g. HIV, Lyme disease, hepatitis C) and autoimmune disorders (e.g. paraneoplastic disease). It is particularly important for diseases like HIV and Lyme disease, where an initial screening test such as ELISA may produce positive or borderline results that require confirmation with western blot. Additionally, western blots allow researchers to accurately assess the presence of a specific protein modification (e.g. phosphorylation or acetylation) at a particular amino acid residue. This is achieved by using antibodies that specifically recognize the modified form of the protein.