Students are given a practical use for the electrophoresis process in this assessment of the spread of an exotic locally farmed species of mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis. During this 9-day lab, they use these sophisticated electrophoresis techniques to identify the mussel from its DNA fingerprint, which is the only way of identifying this cryptic species of the blue mussel family from native species found in the San Juan Islands. Students spend time in the lab learning how to use micropipettes, extract DNA, run PCR, make agarose gels, run gel electrophoresis and read stained DNA gels. The DNA fingerprint also allows students to identify hybrids of the two species. Their data are combined with data from a replicate of the project undertaken at the Spring Street International School. The results are added yearly to the graph posted below.
The IMP project begins with a broad overview of the project and definition of invasive species. Students are tasked with creating a flowchart to help absorb the extensive and complicated procedures that the IMP project entails, examples shown here.
Materials
Students working on the IMP project use a variety of advanced scientific tools, shown in the pictures above. Materials include precision micropippeters, agarose gel casts, electrophoresis chambers and specialized gel viewing chambers designed to filter out blue light to highlight DNA fingerprints.
Results
Picture of the PCR generated DNA bands after gel electrophoresis.