The Use of Modern Molecular Techniques to Foster Collaborative Learning and to Enhance Individual Undergraduate Research

由于学生对生物学课程中的分子遗传学和微生物生态学课程的反应很大，该项目设计了一个围绕这两门课程的理论和教师和学生的综合专业知识的合作项目。试验项目包括从污水中分离和纯化大肠杆菌，然后对大肠杆菌噬菌体DNA进行酶限制性分析。新购买的仪器现在加强和扩大了这个项目，包括基因组DNA的分离，限制性酶切图谱和聚合酶链反应扩增。学生还能够通过获得DNA测序能力进行定性分析，并使用光学密度计进行定量分析。有了新的设备，学生能够进行现代技术，包括PCR扩增DNA，Southern印迹，探针杂交，DNA测序和荧光探针。这些能力可以大大提高学生对遗传理论和遗传学的理解，也可以使学生学习如何生成用于遗传和微生物研究的分子标记。这些技术的知识是必不可少的学生在他们的研究项目，在他们未来的研究，并在日益技术化的世界的成功。

Because of the large student response to the Molecular Genetics and Microbial Ecology courses in the Biology curriculum, this project designed a collaborative project centered around the theory of the two courses and the combined expertise of faculty and students. The pilot project included the isolation and purification of coliphages from sewage followed by enzyme restriction analyses of coliphage DNA. Newly purchased instruments now enhance and expand this project to include the isolation, restriction mapping, and polymerase chain reaction amplification of genomic DNA. Students are also able to conduct qualitative analyses with the acquisition of DNA sequencing capabilities and quantitative analyses using an optical densitometer. With the new equipment, students are able to conduct modern techniques including PCR amplification of DNA, Southern blotting, probe hybridization, DNA sequencing, and chemiluminescent probing. These capabilities can greatly increase students' understanding of genetic theory and phylogeny and can also enable students to learn how to generate molecular markers to be used in genetic and microbial investigations. A knowledge of these techniques is essential to the success of students in their research projects, in their future studies, and in an increasingly technical world.