A colony-blot technique for the detection of specific transcripts in eukaryotes.

We present a simple and rapid technique for the detection of specific transcripts in eukaryotic cells. The method allows the screening of large numbers of clones for the expression of a gene of interest, similar to the colony blotting techniques described for prokaryotes. We have used this method to monitor developmentally regulated transcription of endogenous genes and the expression of foreign genes in transformed Dictyostelium discoideum cells. The same procedure can be applied to detect specific transcripts in yeast and should thus provide a useful molecular tool for most biological systems.