The Generation and Analysis of Genetic DNA Sequence Information in the Undergraduate Curriculum

该项目涉及获得一种安全，可靠和具有成本效益的DNA测序仪器，可用于本科教育和研究。生物科学系不断发展的生物技术课程有三个组成部分：重组DNA技术，遗传序列信息的生成以及遗传信息的分析和操作。 该项目的重点是通过获得一个使用新的毛细管基质电泳技术的荧光DNA测序仪来满足第二个组成部分的仪器需求。该仪器满足了该项目的所有要求，安全（无放射性核苷酸和丙烯酰胺凝胶），可靠（荧光核苷酸化学是基因组计划中的标准技术）和成本效益（DNA测序反应使用聚合酶链反应测序试剂盒进行，每个反应的成本约为5美元）。 所有生物学本科生都可以通过在结构化的实验室课程练习和独立的教师赞助的研究项目中获得实践经验来学习生物技术。为了让学生为未来的职业生涯做好准备，并在毕业后担任领导角色，生物学专业的本科生必须对生物技术是什么以及这门学科如何影响科学和社会有一个深刻的理解。

This project concerns the acquisition of a safe, reliable, and cost-effective DNA sequencing instrument that can be used in undergraduate education and research. The evolving biotechnology curriculum in the Department of Biological Sciences has three components: recombinant DNA techniques, the generation of genetic sequence information, and the analysis and manipulation of genetic information. The project focuses on meeting the instrumentation needs of the second component by obtaining a fluorescent-based DNA sequencer that uses a new capillary matrix electrophoresis technology. This instrument meets all of the project's requirements in being safe (no radioactive nucleotides and no acrylamide gels), reliable (fluorescent nucleotide chemistry is a standard technology in the genome projects), and cost-effective (DNA sequencing reactions are performed using a polymerase chain reaction sequencing kit at a cost of about $5 per reaction). All biology undergraduate students can learn how biotechnology is performed by gaining hands-on experience in structured required laboratory class exercises and in doing independent, faculty-sponsored research projects. For students to prepare for the careers of the future and for their taking on leadership roles after graduation, it is imperative that undergraduate students majoring in biology have a firm understanding of what biotechnology is and how this discipline is affecting science and society.