Sciences of Life Academy Highlights from July 12, 2007

Bacterial Genomics

Professor Shari Freyermuth led students through the process of purifying and separating plasmid DNA from the genomic DNA of cloned Ammonifex degensii bacteria. The complicated process involves a number of steps that required the students to carefully measure and dispense chemical solutions that allowed the plasmid DNA to separate from the genomic DNA.

After preparing the samples, the students were able to set up a DNA sequencing reaction, which electrically stimulates the dyed DNA strands to separate according to the length of the strands and the bases present in each strand.

While they waited for the sequencing reaction to be completed, the students took a tour of the DNA core at MU. The DNA core is a laboratory that contains very complex machinery capable of sequencing two million base pairs of DNA every three days.

Once their DNA sequences had been separated, the students were able to observe the sequences suspended in a gel under ultraviolet light.