MRI/RUI: Acquisition of an Automated DNA Sequencing, Microsatellite, AFLP Analysis System for Integrated Research and Education in Population Biology at a HSI/PUI

在安东尼·梅特卡夫博士的指导下，加州州立大学圣贝纳迪诺分校获得了一笔赠款。这笔赠款使得能够在一所以本科生为主的拉美裔服务大学(HIS/PUI)购买用于科学研究和教育的自动DNA测序系统。该仪器的最初和主要用途将促进将教育和研究纳入人口和进化生物学。该设备降低了成本，极大地提高了研究效率，刺激了新的研究项目和合作，并允许完成需要DNA序列或基因分析的项目。该机构服务的地区等于或大于美国九个州。然而，这一关键的研究和培训方面的技术方面以前从未达到过。有了这个仪器，教师、工作人员以及最重要的本科生和硕士水平的学生研究人员将可以获得DNA测序和基因分型方面的全部研究和培训。目前的研究和学生培训立即受益于该奖项，重点是一套分类群中分子遗传变异的区域地理模式。这些项目包括对联邦濒危物种斯蒂芬斯袋鼠最近范围扩大的遗传分析的保护应用，以及当地濒危植物莱恩山紫云英的保护遗传学。其他三个立即受益于该奖项的学生研究项目专注于栖息地结构和跨不同类群的基因流动之间的关系。这些项目是：1)分水岭在影响加州树蛙遗传分化中的作用；2)最近隆起对斑马尾蜥蜴地理隔离种群的隔离效应；3)侏儒金毛雀的种群遗传学，这是一种栖息在加利福尼亚州南部不连续山顶上的黄松林中的鸟类。另一组学生项目利用基因组的高变异区，研究了南加州致倦库蚊种群的种群结构与杀虫剂抗性的关系。该项目的更广泛影响是，自动化DNA测序和基因仪器将极大地加强目前对南加州内陆类群遗传变异本质的研究。该地区的地方性很高，再加上人口的爆炸性增长和栖息地的改变，导致受威胁和濒危物种集中在有限的地理区域。这一HIS/PUI机构的主要研究重点将广泛应用于目前正在进行的区域栖息地规划和保护工作。这些研究项目将使CSUSB的教职员工和社区用户更充分地将研究和教育结合在一起。最重要的是，它将让学生充分体验研究--从问题的开始，到实验和技术工作，再到他们的项目的陈述和发表。

A grant has been awarded to California State University San Bernardino under the direction of Dr. Anthony Metcalf. This grant enables the acquisition of an automated DNA sequencing system for scientific research and education at a predominantly undergraduate, Hispanic serving university (HIS/PUI). The initial and primary uses of the instrumentation will facilitate the integration of education and research into population and evolutionary biology. The equipment lowers costs, greatly increases research efficiency, stimulates new research projects and collaborations, and allows the completion of projects that require DNA sequence or genotype analysis. The region served by this institution is equal or larger than nine of the States in the U.S. Yet, this critical technological aspect of research and training had not been previously met.With this instrument, the full arc of research and training in DNA sequencing, and genotyping will be available to faculty, staff, and most important, undergraduate and Master level student researchers. Current research and student training that immediately benefit from the award focus on regional geographic patterns of molecular genetic variation across a suite of taxa. These projects include conservation applications with a genetic analysis of a recent range expansion of the federally endangered Stephens' kangaroo rat, and the conservation genetics of a local restricted plant, the endangered Lane Mountain milk vetch. Three other student research projects that immediately benefit from the award focus on the relationships between habitat structure and gene flow across different taxa. These projects are:1) the role of watershed in affecting genetic differentiation in the California treefrog; 2) the isolating effects of recent uplift on geographically isolated populations of the zebra tailed lizard; and 3) the population genetics of the pygmy nuthatch, a sedentary bird that inhabits yellow pine forests on disjunct mountain tops in southern California. Another set of student projects examines the population structure of southern California populations of the mosquito Culex quinquefaciatus in relation to insecticide resistance, using hypervariable regions of the genome.A broader impact of this project is that automated DNA sequencing and genotype instrumentation will greatly enhance current research efforts into the nature of genetic variation in inland southern California taxa. This region has a very high level of endemism, and coupled with explosive human population growth, and the alteration of habitat, results in a concentration of threatened and endangered species in a limited geographic area. This primary research focus at this HIS/PUI institution will have broad application to the regional habitat planning and conservation efforts currently taking place. The research projects will allow the CSUSB faculty and community users to more fully integrate research and education. And, most importantly, it will allow the students to fully experience research-from the inception of a question, through the experimental and technical work, to the presentation and publication of their projects.