Acquisition of an HPLC System for Undergraduate Research in Insect Chemical Defense

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A grant has been awarded to Dr. Yezerski at King's College to acquire an High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system with which to study the chemical defense system of the flour beetle, Tribolium confusum . Two immediate projects have been designed to address the questions of function and effect of the production of these defenses. One project will address the effect benzoquinone compounds have on conspecifics since these compounds are known to cause death to the beetles themselves. This experiment will correlate levels of chemical production in a series of recombinant inbred lines of beetles with levels of survival using representatives from the same lines. Using the HPLC equipment, a mean level of individual benzoquinone production within a line can be measured and these values compared to the results of standard LD50 tests for the lines when representatives are placed in an environment where no absorbent material protects them from their own excretions Current and future experiments using the HPLC will address correlations of the chemical defense trait with other behavioral and physical factors including body weight, cuticle color, and fecundity. Other planned research will measure the levels of benzoquinones in natural flour beetle populations in order to assess the evolutionary pressures conferred by natural environments. Such resulting information can not only help elucidate how a complex defense system arises evolutionarily but also help enlighten us on how this stored grain product pest can be better controlled. Additionally, the HPLC system has uses far beyond the measurement of beetle exudates. With only one other antiquated HPLC available for the entire college, the acquisition of this additional modern system will allow for other undergraduate research projects in both biology and chemistry that utilizes this highly utilized piece of equipment. By conducting meaningful research using modern equipment in which there is a demand for competent researchers, undergraduates at King's College can have the opportunity to be well prepared for whatever career goals they strive to reach whether these be in industry or further schooling.