Faculty Sponsor(s)
Catherine A. Reinke
Location
Jereld R. Nicholson Library
Subject Area
Biology
Description
Our broad goal is to use Drosophila melanogaster to identify new genes required for a form of gene regulation known as gene silencing. As participants in iFocus, an interdisciplinary first-year orientation camp for undergraduate sciences that introduces students to scientific research, we learned how classical genetics is used to identify novel genes essential for a particular biological process such as gene silencing. Specifically, we learned how to determine which chromosomes are present in a fruit fly by observing that fly’s physical characteristics, or phenotypes. We further learned how mutations in genes are mapped to a particular location on a chromosome using Drosophila. Previous work in our lab indicated that the Regena/NOT2 gene is essential for microRNA-mediated gene silencing. We set out to locate nucleotide change that is responsible for Regena/NOT2 mutant phenotype. To do this, we started a genomics learning community and taught 8 additional first-year Linfield students how to analyze DNA sequence data. Through our collective efforts, we determined that the existing DNA sequence data only covered a portion of the Regena gene, and additional DNA needed to be sequenced. We performed fly crosses, selected relevant progeny, and prepared genomic DNA from these flies to amplify the Regena gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplified DNA has been sent for DNA sequencing, and sequence analysis is ongoing.
Recommended Citation
Zbornik, Tika and Thompson, Rhese, "Genetic Analysis of Mechanisms of Gene Silencing in a First-Year Scientific Research Learning Community" (2014). Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement. Event. Submission 45.
https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/symposium/2014/all/45
Genetic Analysis of Mechanisms of Gene Silencing in a First-Year Scientific Research Learning Community
Jereld R. Nicholson Library
Our broad goal is to use Drosophila melanogaster to identify new genes required for a form of gene regulation known as gene silencing. As participants in iFocus, an interdisciplinary first-year orientation camp for undergraduate sciences that introduces students to scientific research, we learned how classical genetics is used to identify novel genes essential for a particular biological process such as gene silencing. Specifically, we learned how to determine which chromosomes are present in a fruit fly by observing that fly’s physical characteristics, or phenotypes. We further learned how mutations in genes are mapped to a particular location on a chromosome using Drosophila. Previous work in our lab indicated that the Regena/NOT2 gene is essential for microRNA-mediated gene silencing. We set out to locate nucleotide change that is responsible for Regena/NOT2 mutant phenotype. To do this, we started a genomics learning community and taught 8 additional first-year Linfield students how to analyze DNA sequence data. Through our collective efforts, we determined that the existing DNA sequence data only covered a portion of the Regena gene, and additional DNA needed to be sequenced. We performed fly crosses, selected relevant progeny, and prepared genomic DNA from these flies to amplify the Regena gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplified DNA has been sent for DNA sequencing, and sequence analysis is ongoing.
Comments
3rd place award