Using the Thermophile Meiothermus ruber as a Model System for Authentic Undergraduate and Faculty Research in Genome Analysis
Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2013, Volume 34
Lori Scott
Abstract
The Meiothermus ruber Genome Analysis Project is a network of 4 two-year and four-year undergraduate institutions, with the goal of offering authentic research experiences in microbial genome analysis for faculty and students. The thermophilic bacterium M. ruber was "adopted" from the Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute's (DOE JGI) Interpret-a-Genome Education Program. The DOE JGI offers microbial genome sequence data to colleges and universities for use in authentic research in genome annotation. The microbes in the Interpreta-Genome program are unusual and from sparsely investigated parts of the tree of life, so the likelihood of exciting discoveries and variations on the classical pathways is high. This research model has been described as a "research career in a box" because of the many faculty resources offered through the DOE JGI, American Society of Microbiology Faculty Programs, Genomics Education National Initiative, and the Microbial Genome Annotation Network. Currently, over 250 students and 8 faculty have contributed in varied ways to the M. ruber Project since its inception in 2009. Student and faculty investigators have annotated individual genes and whole biochemical pathways, cloned and subsequently complemented genes for functional studies, investigated the phenomena of lateral gene transfer and thermostability, and more. In this mini-workshop, participants will: 1) explore some of the resources available for those who might want to start a genome analysis program; and 2) discuss how this model generates authentic research experiences.
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