Analyzing gene expression in sea star eggs and embryos using bioinformatics

Area of Science:

• Genetics education
• Bioinformatics in biology
• Genomic data analysis

Background:

• The increasing volume of genomic data presents challenges for biology education.
• Students need to develop skills in observing and interpreting complex genomic datasets.
• Traditional curricula require adaptation to incorporate modern bioinformatics tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a teaching laboratory integrating bioinformatics and wet lab techniques for undergraduate Genetics students.
• To equip students with skills to apply genomic data to address authentic scientific questions.
• To demonstrate the practical application of bioinformatics in solving biological problems.

Main Methods:

• Students utilized sea star transcriptome databases to identify target proteins and their encoding RNA.
• Primer design targeted specific regions of the identified RNA for amplification.
• Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed, with results analyzed via agarose gel electrophoresis.

Main Results:

• Successful identification of target RNAs and amplification using designed primers.
• Visualization of PCR products through agarose gel electrophoresis confirmed successful amplification.
• Demonstrated feasibility of the integrated approach for undergraduate learning.

Conclusions:

• This laboratory effectively combines bioinformatics and wet lab components to teach genomic data analysis.
• The approach provides students with hands-on experience in addressing real biological questions using genomic data.
• It serves as a model for incorporating bioinformatics into undergraduate genetics curricula.