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Poster Full Abstracts - Educational Initiatives
Poster board number is above title. The first author is the presenter
368
887B
Adapting the "Fly Lab" for primary research in the genetics classroom.
Derek M. Dean, Luana S. Maroja. 59 Lab Campus Drive, Dept. of Biology,
Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267.
The “Fly Lab” is time-honored by genetics instructors as a way to teach genetic analysis in a hands-on fashion. In its classic form, this educational module
involves crossing
Drosophila
that are mutant for several genes on the same chromosome to wild type flies, assessing the F1 flies to help determine the mode
of inheritance of each mutation, performing a standard three point test cross, then mapping the mutations relative to each other in the F2 generation. For
decades, the Fly Lab has been a reliable way to help students grasp Mendel's laws and the mapping of genetic mutations. While the Fly Lab generally
involves mapping well-characterized genes, we modified this exercise to allow students to map a mutation that has not been ascribed to a specific gene. We
selected
wavy
2
, a classic, X-linked, adult morphology mutation with a robust phenotype that is easily scored by students. In the classroom, we mapped
wavy
2
relative to five
P
-element insertions at known sites within the putative gene region. These efforts significantly narrowed down the number of candidates for
the
wavy
gene while effectively fulfilling our primary educational goals. In this poster, we present the results of our experiment as well as an assessment of
the educational value of this module. We are also performing preliminary tests on mutations in several other unknown genes. Here we aim to identify other
alleles that can be mapped with our procedure, cross these alleles into appropriate genetic backgrounds, and encourage other educators to join the larger
project by making these strains freely available.
888C
An Inquiry-Based Approach to Teaching Undergraduate Students Advanced Molecular Genetics.
Jason E. Duncan, Biol350 Molecular Genetics 2011,
Biol350 Molecular Genetics 2012. Department of Biology, Willamette University, Salem, OR, 97301.
Research experiences are not only central in training undergraduate students in discipline-specific techniques, but also in fostering the development of
science process skills including hypothesis formulation, experimental design, data interpretation, problem solving and scientific writing. I have designed a
research-methods course, Biol350 Molecular Genetics that engages students in faculty-mentored research through the identification and characterization of
mutant alleles of
Drosophila
genes required for axonal transport, previously identified in a large-scale mutagenic EMS screen. Employing a unique nested
approach that addresses the severe time-restrictions of a short 15-week semester, students simultaneously participated in both a collaborative gene mapping
group project and an independent molecular and phenotypic analysis of identified mutations. In the span of a single semester, seven students were able to
map, identify the lesion, and carry out a phenotypic analysis associated with mutant alleles of seven genes including the
peroxisome biogenesis factor 1
gene
(
Pex1
WU1
), the ubiquitin specific protease genes
fat facets
(
faf
WU2
) and
non-stop
(
not
WU3
), the transcription factor
single-minded
(
sim
WU4
), the cofilin
phosphatase gene
slingshot
(
ssh
WU6
), the protein O-mannosyltranferase gene
rotated abdomen
(
rt
WU5
), and a gene that encodes a pericentrin-like protein,
cp309
(
cp309
WU7
). A summary of the results of the work performed on these mutant alleles will be presented, as will a detailed description of the course and
an assessment of the impact it has on the development of science process skills and student attitudes towards research.
889A
The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP): Comparative Analysis of the Drosophila Dot Chromosome by Undergraduate Students.
SCR Elgin
1
,
W Barshop
1
, H Yuan
1
, M Burg
2
, C Coyle-Thompson
3
, J DiAngelo
4
, D Johnson
5
, C Jones
6
, L Kadlec
7
, SC Silver Key
8
, NP Kokan
9
, G McNeil
10
, A
Nagengast
11
, DW Paetkau
12
, K Saville
13
, S Smith
14
, J Stamm
15
, M Wawersik
16
, L Zhou
17
, D Lopatto
18
. 1) Washington U MO; 2) Grand Valley State U MI; 3)
CSU-Northridge CA; 4) Hofstra U NY; 5) George Washington U DC; 6) Moravian C PA; 7) Wilkes U PA; 8) NC Central U NC; 9) Cardinal Stritch U WI;
10) York/CUNY NY; 11) Widener U PA; 12) St Mary's C IN; 13) Albion C MI; 14) Arcadia U PA; 15) Evansville IN; 16) William & Mary VA; 17) U
Pittsburgh PA; 18) Grinnell C IA.
An effective method for teaching science is to engage students in doing science. The GEP, a group of faculty from over 70 primarily undergraduate
institutions, provides students with the opportunity to participate in AY genomics research. GEP undergraduates have improved the draft sequence of the
Muller F element (Dot chromosome) and portions of the D element from multiple Drosophila species, creating manually curated gene models for these
improved regions. Analyses of the D. melanogaster, D. erecta, D. mojavensis and D. grimshawi F elements show higher repeat density, larger gene size, and
significantly lower codon bias compared to reference euchromatic domains. D. mojavensis has the highest repeat density among F elements studied, which
partially accounts for the larger banded region (1.7Mb vs 1.2 Mb in D. melanogaster). Despite numerous gene rearrangements, most genes on the D.
melanogaster F element remain on F elements. Analysis of 8 'wanderer' genes found in a euchromatic domain in at least one species shows that these genes
typically adopt the properties of their local environment, with interesting exceptions. The carefully sequenced and annotated domains generated by GEP
students provide a high quality resource for these and other analyses. We find engaging students in research rewarding for both faculty and students, and
invite other faculty to join us (see http://gep.wustl.edu; next workshop 6/2012). Support: HHMI grant 52005780 & NIH R01 GM068388 to SCRE.
890B
Integration of Transmission Genetics and Molecular Biology in a Genetics Lab Course Using Drosophila Neurologic Mutants.
Pat C. Lord, Erik C.
Johnson. Dept Biol, Wake Forest Univ, Winston-Salem, NC.
All biology majors must take Genetics and Molecular Biology (BIO213) at WFU. The lab is currently divided into two major sections. One section is
focused on classical transmission genetics using historic Drosophila mutants. The second section uses various E.coli lacZ mutants which students test to
determine the mutation at the nucleotide level to gain hands-on knowledge of molecular biology. We have recognized several major problems with our
current lab including that students see no connection between transmission genetics and molecular biology techniques. In addition, the current lab does not
mirror how we use genetics and molecular biology in our research lab. We have designed a new genetics lab course which is intended to be more question
driven and better connect transmission genetics and molecular biology. The lab uses wild type and several neurologic mutants. In the first weeks of labs,
students will identify their mutant based on its performance in behavioral assays. Once they have identified the mutant behavior, they will use deficiency
mapping to determine a chromosomal map location for the gene. Using bioinformatics, students will identify a candidate gene. Then using RNA isolated
from their wild type and mutant flies and primers they have designed, they will use RT-PCR to create cDNAs that span the mRNA of their candidate gene.
These cDNAs will then be sequenced. To optimize success, we will manipulate their PCR reactions to ensure that they generate cDNAs and also provide
sequence data to enhance success. Once students have their sequence data from mutant and wild type cDNAs, they will use bioinformatics to determine the