Development of a Model System for Teaching Genetics

智力优势：威斯康星快速植物（WFP）是一种快速循环（RC）的油菜系（种子发芽后36天即可收获成熟种子），广泛用于小学、中学和本科教育。它们已经成为教授植物生理学、营养学和生态学的模式生物，并在一定程度上教授遗传学。它们被用来帮助学生发展定量分析技能，以及对许多生物过程有更深入的了解，并被本科研究委员会确定为最适合本科教育的十个实验系统之一。然而，世界粮食计划署在遗传学教学中的使用是有限的，因为只有少数几个有趣的定性性状可用，一些定性性状被定义（矮个子、黄绿色叶片和花青素沉积增加），但只有两个数量性状（植物高度和叶片和茎毛的丰度）。世界粮食计划署不能自我繁殖，因此兄弟姐妹需要杂交，以创造出具有隐性性状的群体。缺乏自我生育能力严重限制了进行大规模诱变以识别有趣突变体的能力。我们已经培育了一个自相容的品种，现在正在进行大规模的诱变和识别有趣的突变体。我们已经开始绘制这些突变体的图谱，同时也在开展一些练习，教师和学生可以在这些练习中为基于表型标记的基因图谱的创建做出贡献。同时，我们正在开发基于分子（多态）标记的物理地图。这允许学生进行实验来传达连锁的概念以及遗传距离和物理距离之间的关系。本科生参与了突变系和相关教育模块的开发。此外，新线路的存在为本科生的研究项目提供了一个有价值的工具。更广泛的影响：通过现有的世界粮食计划署外联方案（网络、印刷品和讲习班），有效地传播了有关这种新遗传资源的信息。粮食计划署的种子由十字花科植物遗传合作社和一个强大的教育市场分销商（美国北卡罗来纳州的卡罗莱纳生物公司）重新分发。许多本科教师和K-12教师将WFP作为实验室和课堂练习的基础。他们现在可以在他们的资源中增加基因延展性的品种。该项目得到了生物科学理事会植物基因组研究计划的部分资金支持。

Biological Sciences (61)Intellectual Merit: Wisconsin Fast Plants (WFP), a rapid-cycling (RC) line of Brassica rapa (mature seeds can be harvested 36 days after seed germination), is widely used for primary, secondary and undergraduate education. They have become the model organism for teaching plant physiology, nutrition and ecology and, to a limited extent, genetics. They have been used to help students develop quantitative skills as well as gain a deeper understanding of a number of biological processes and have been identified by the Council on Undergraduate Research as one of ten experimental systems ideally suited for undergraduate education. However, the use of WFP for teaching genetics is limited as there are only handful of modestly interesting qualitative traits available, a few qualitative traits defined (dwarf-stature, yellow-green leaves, and increased anthocyanin deposition) but only two quantitative traits (plant height and abundance of leaf and stem hairs). WFP are not self fertile and thus siblings need to be crossed to create populations that segregate for recessive traits. The lack of self fertility severely limits the ability to perform large-scale mutagenesis to identify interesting mutants. We have bred a self-compatible line and now are performing large-scale mutagenesis and identifying interesting mutants. We have begun to map these mutants and are also developing exercises in which teachers and their students can contribute to the creation of a genetic map based on phenotypic markers. In parallel, we are developing a physical map based on molecular(polymorphic) markers. This permits students to perform experiments that convey the concepts of linkage and the relationship between genetic and physical distance. Undergraduate students are involved in the development of both the mutant lines and the related educational modules. In addition the existence of the new lines provides a valuable tool for undergraduate research projects.Broader Impacts: Dissemination of information about this new genetic resource is being effectively achieved through the existing WFP outreach program (web, print and workshops). The WFP seeds are being redistributed by the Crucifer Genetics Cooperative and by a strong educational market distributor (Carolina Biological, North Carolina, USA). Many undergraduate faculty and K-12 teachers base laboratory and classroom exercises on WFP. They will now be able to add genetically malleable lines to their resources.This project is being partially supported by funds from the Plant Genome Research Program of the Directorate for Biological Sciences.