Acquisition of Automated DNA Sequencer for Primate Molecular Evolutionary Research

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9414016 Ruvolo With National Science Foundation support, Dr. Maryellen Ruvolo will purchase an automated DNA sequencer system consisting of: 1. an Applied Biosystems automated DNA sequencer with the necessary software for editing and analyzing newly-generated sequence files and for DNA microsatellite typing; and 2. a DNA data storage system consisting of: an external hard disk drive for ready retrieval and manipulation of DNA sequence files and a magneto- optical drive for long-term, high stability storage of DNA sequence files. The research of Dr. Ruvolo and her colleagues uses DNA sequence data and the purchase of this instrumentation will exponentially increase the laboratory's productivity. Research on primate systematics and evolution constitutes the focus of the laboratory's work and the team is currently involved in a number of projects. These include a broad scale approach to the molecular systematics of primates and a complementary effort on the molecular evolution of the Strepsirhines. The group has begun work to determine the genetic diversity present within extant chimpanzees and is examining mitochondrial DNA sequence and nuclear microsatellite marker variability in East African chimpanzee populations. These chimpanzees are important because of their endangered status as well as the extensive behavioral information available on selected groups. The new instrumentation will also allow the team to expand its examination of hominoid nuclear gene variation and genomic structure. Dr. Ruvolo's laboratory trains undergraduate and graduate students as well as post-doctoral fellows; automated sequencer equipment will assist in this, as well as the research, function.