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

威廉伍兹大学（William Woods University）的玛丽·斯普拉特（Mary Spratt）博士获得了一笔赠款，用于购买一台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的特定遗传“字母表”。将购买两套微移液器用于DNA分离和测序。为了分离和分析这些生物的亚细胞成分，将采购一个装有基本成分的小型超离心机。该设备将用于无脊椎生物的拟议研究，特别是宿主-寄生虫的相互作用。将进行的研究的一个例子是各种硬体蜱和生活在它们体内的细菌物种之间的关系。其中一组细菌引起埃利希体病，这是蜱传疾病的一个完整家族。当蜱虫吸食血液时，这些细菌被注射到蜱虫的唾液中，它们会导致人类和各种动物患上严重疾病或死亡。生活在不同蜱虫体内的大约十种细菌会导致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，该地区的特定细菌种类是否与其他地方已确定的相同物种相同，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，以及特定蜱虫是否可能与各种埃利希氏菌共同感染。该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、河流或湖滨），提取和净化DNA，在热循环器上扩增，使其复制10亿份特定的DNA片段，通过电流将DNA通过凝胶来确定哪些DNA样本对各种埃利希体病呈阳性，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在一个非常重要的领域回答一些基本的生物学问题，但却很少得到关注或研究资金。也许更重要的是，这项资助为威廉伍兹大学（WWU）的学生提供了最先进的设备，让他们作为本科生参与研究，并学习生物学的基本方面，从而为培养未来几代科学教师、研究人员和技术人员提供了至关重要的机会。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。额外的生物学课程将作为这项拨款的结果开发出来，并将扩展到高中生，激发他们对科学事业的可能性。WWU的毕业生大部分是女性；其中许多人是第一代大学生。不到十年前，这所学院还没有科学课程、师资和设备。很大程度上由于美国国家科学基金会的资助，我们现在有一个生物专业，除了本科生科学研究的机会外，还有物理科学的支持课程。这些设备将大大加强这些领域，并将有助于吸引教师和学生。预计这些新设备也将被中西部农村地区的其他小型学院使用，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，这些领域以前是我们无法获得的。

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.