This week, I do not have an exciting development or even reams of data to report regarding my primers project. Due to a scheduling conflict with the BIO 181 labs, the thermocycler is unavailable for usage this week. Therefore, the next phase of my project is on hold until after the return from break.
This is particularly unfortunate, as I have been quite interested in testing my primers against the genetic sequences of my target organisms. As you may recall, I have already analyzed certain Universal Rice Primers (URPs) and found them to be not truly universal in application against the selected species under the controls I selected; the next phase is to examine whether or not the primers of my own design fare any better using those same controls. The essence of my project is the search for primers that can be used universally to amplify common bacterial species during a polymerase-chain reaction. This has gotten me a bit excited, as you may imagine, so having to wait another two weeks for results is stoking an excited anticipation that is almost untenable.
Instead of conducting experiments, I have been focused this week on expanding my project to include additional bacterial species. Welcome, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, to the fold. Also, in lieu of thermocycler time, I cultured fresh stock of the species I am analyzing and conducted DNA extractions on them. I banked them for later analysis. This, in a nutshell, was the progress I made this week.
Tomorrow brings the first field trip of the semester for our S-STEM group. We will be heading to the Phoenix Zoo for a little rest and relaxation, along with (hopefully) a little learning about the zoo's conservation efforts.
Until the semester resumes, be good to yourself.
PS: Here are some links to information about the black-footed ferret population recovery program, of which the Phoenix Zoo is a participating member. This only native North American ferret species was thought to be extinct until a lone colony was discovered in Wyoming in 1981. Since then, hundreds of kits have been bred and successfully introduced into the wild, including here in Arizona.
http://www.blackfootedferret.org/captive-breeding
http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/blackfooted_ferret.shtml
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