The CURE for Cultivating Fastidious Microbes

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Science Education

Background:

• Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) aim to broaden research participation in undergraduate education.
• Integrating authentic research into first-year biology labs presents unique pedagogical challenges.
• Developing effective CUREs requires robust protocols and adaptable curricula.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a microbiology CURE (mCURE) for first-year undergraduate students.
• To assess the efficacy of a modified dilution-to-extinction high-throughput culturing protocol within a CURE setting.
• To provide students with comprehensive training in molecular biology techniques and scientific communication.

Main Methods:

• A modified dilution-to-extinction high-throughput culturing protocol was employed for bacterioplankton isolation.
• Students engaged in nucleic acid extraction, PCR, and molecular characterization of isolates.
• Curriculum included scientific literature evaluation and communication training with social media components.

Main Results:

• The mCURE demonstrated comparable cultivability success rates to standard laboratory implementations over three semesters.
• Students acquired proficiency in essential molecular biology techniques and scientific communication skills.
• The modular framework proved adaptable for diverse educational settings.

Conclusions:

• The mCURE is an effective model for delivering authentic research experiences in undergraduate microbiology.
• The protocol is robust and successful for isolating fastidious aquatic bacterioplankton in a semester-long course.
• The provided resources facilitate the widespread adoption and customization of this CURE model.