Gene discovery for comparative biology of parasitic and non - parasitic plants . A five - week

As part of an NSF-funded initiative, biology students, primarily those in the early stages of their degree program, were recruited to participate in ongoing research alongside principle investigators. In this example, ten students were given five weeks of intensive training in molecular research methods, with the objective of cloning genes involved in core metabolic processes in the parasitic plant Cuscuta pentagona (dodder) and its nonparasitic relative Ipomoea hederacea (ivy-leaf morning glory). During the session, students used bioinformatic tools to search gene databases, designed PCR primers, isolated genomic DNA for use in amplification and molecular cloning, mapped candidate clones, and prepared templates for sequencing. The students were provided resulting sequence data and asked to determine whether the effort had been successful. Each of these activities provided an opportunity for students to learn biological principles through their application towards a research objective.