Acquisition of Molecular Biology Equipment for Undergraduate Biology Research at William Woods University

威廉伍兹大学的玛丽斯普拉特博士获得了一笔赠款，用于购买带有相关计算机和软件的DNA自动测序仪;这将用于确定某些无脊椎生物体的特定遗传“字母表”。将购买两套微量移液器用于DNA分离和测序。 将采购一个含有基本成分的小型超浓缩器，用于分离和分析这些生物体的亚细胞成分。 拟使用该设备进行的研究侧重于无脊椎生物，特别是宿主-寄生虫相互作用。 将进行的研究的一个例子是各种硬蜱和生活在其中的细菌物种之间的关系。这些细菌中的一种会引起埃立克体病，这是一种由蜱传播的疾病。当这些细菌被注射到蜱虫的唾液中时，它们会导致人类和各种动物严重的疾病或死亡。生活在不同蜱虫体内的大约10种细菌引起各种形式的这种疾病。 然而，人们对蜱虫和细菌之间的关系知之甚少，例如在哪种蜱虫中发现了哪种细菌，这个地方的特定细菌物种是否与其他地方的相同物种相同，一种细菌物种的DNA与引起不同形式疾病的细菌的DNA有多相似，以及给定的蜱是否可能与各种埃立克体属细菌共感染。本项目将通过获取蜱虫（主要是通过清扫公共土地上的植被，如小径，州立和国家公园，以及河流或湖泊银行），提取和纯化DNA，在热循环仪上扩增它，使特定DNA片段的十亿个拷贝，通过用电流使DNA流过凝胶来确定哪些DNA样品对各种埃立克体病是阳性的，然后通过DNA测序和分析，将这些结果与从其他蜱虫中发现的序列以及基因库数据中记录的序列进行比较。获得这些数据将有助于回答一些基本的生物学问题，这些问题非常重要，但却很少受到关注或研究资金。 也许更重要的是，这个赠款提供了机会，为未来几代科学教师，研究人员和技术人员提供至关重要的培训，为威廉伍兹大学（WWU）的学生提供最先进的设备，作为本科生参与研究，以及学习生物学的基本方面。 这些设备将提高他们进入研究生课程和进入劳动力市场的接受度。 由于这笔赠款，将开发更多的生物课程，并向高中生推广，使他们对科学职业的可能性感到兴奋。WWU的毕业生大多数是女性，其中许多是第一代大学生。 不到十年前，这所大学没有科学课程、教师和设备。 由于NSF资金提供的推动力，我们现在有一个生物学专业，除了本科科学研究的机会外，还有物理科学的支持性课程。 这些设备将大大提高这些领域，并将有助于吸引教师和学生。 预计这种新设备也将被我们中西部农村地区的其他小型学院所利用，为我们每个机构的教师和学生提供在分子和细胞生物学领域进行最先进的教学和研究的机会。

A grant has been awarded to Dr. Mary Spratt at William Woods University to acquire a DNA automated sequencer with associated computers and software; this will be used to determine the specific genetic "alphabet" of certain invertebrate organisms. Two sets of micropipetters will be purchased for use in DNA isolation and sequencing. A small ultracentrifuge with essential components will be procured for separation and analysis of the sub-cellular components of these organisms. The proposed research for which this equipment will be used focuses upon invertebrate organisms, particularly host-parasite interactions. An example of the research that will be carried out is the relationship between various hard-bodied ticks and the bacterial species that live within them. One of these groups of bacteria causes ehrlichiosis, an entire family of tick-borne diseases. When these bacteria are injected with the tick's saliva as it takes a blood meal, they can cause serious illness or death in humans and various animals. Approximately ten species of bacteria that live within different ticks cause various forms of this disease. However, little is known about the relationship between the tick and the bacteria, such as which bacteria are found in which kinds of ticks, whether a given species of bacterium in this locality is identical to the same identified species elsewhere, how similar the DNA of one bacterial species is to that of bacteria causing a different form of the disease, and whether a given tick may be co-infected with various species of Ehrlichia bacteria. This project will be carried out by obtaining ticks (primarily found by sweeping vegetation on public lands such as trails, state and national parks, and river or lake banks), extracting and purifying the DNA, amplifying it on a thermal cycler to make a billion copies of the particular DNA fragment, determining by running the DNA through a gel by an electric current which DNA samples are positive for various species of ehrlichiosis, and then through DNA sequencing and analysis, comparing these results to sequences found from other ticks and to those recorded in gene bank data. Obtaining this data will help to answer some basic biology questions in an area that is of great importance, but has received relatively little attention or research funding. Perhaps of even greater importance is the opportunity that this grant provides for the critically important training of future generations of science teachers, researchers, and technicians by providing students at William Woods University (WWU) state-of-the-art equipment on which to participate in research as undergraduates, as well as to learn essential aspects of biology. This equipment will enhance their acceptance into graduate programs and into the work force. Additional biology curricula will be developed as a result of this grant, as will outreach to high school students, exciting them about the possibilities of careers in science. WWU graduates a majority of women; many of these are first-generation college students. Less than a decade ago, the college had no science curriculum, faculty, or equipment. Largely due to the impetus provided by NSF funding, we now have a biology major with supportive course work in the physical sciences, in addition to opportunities for undergraduate science research. This equipment will greatly enhance these areas and will serve to attract both faculty and students. It is anticipated that this new equipment will be utilized as well by other small colleges in our rural mid-west area, providing faculty and students at each of our institutions with the opportunity for state-of-the art teaching and research in areas of molecular and cellular biology previously unavailable to us.