Getting acquainted with Katablepharis

 My first week in the CMOP program is off and running! Following Monday's orientation, Pete Kahn (my frontline mentor) and I immediately got to work on designing primers for targeting the 28s and non-transcribable region of rDNA of Katablepharis.

This week I became familiar with the lab and performed a DNA extraction from samples collected in April 2010. A nano drop was used to confirm the amount of DNA collected and in addition a run on gel electrophoresis analysis showed that we had product, so a PCR was run to amplify our product. The DNA was purified and then transformed onto selective plates. Next week we will probably inoculate the cultures and mini-prep them.

As for Katablepharis, I learned much more about the organism this week. I tried to do a little research on Katablepharis before I got to CMOP, however there is not a whole lot general information on it. For an introduction, Katablepharis is a heterotrophic protist. In the Columbia River estuary Katablepharis is a primary consumer, reaching dense populations in certain areas at certain times of the year. Much more information of Katablepharis can be found in this article cited below.

Okamoto N, Chantangsi C, Horak A, Leander BS, Keeling PJ 2009 Molecular Phylogeny and Description of the Novel Katablepharid Roombia truncata gen. et sp. nov., and Establishment of the Hacrobia Taxon nov. PLoS ONE 4(9): e7080. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0007080

I have had a great start to the program and my project and am very excited to learn more about Katablepharis as the summer progresses. I really appreciate this opportunity of research I have been given as I know I will gain even more experience in the field.