A Student-Accessible Model for Human Genetics Using Fast Plants and Microsatellite Markers

Oakland University, Rochester MI

Investigators

Abstract

An experimental system that models human genetics is being developed for instructional laboratories. The experiments involve microsatellite markers in rapid cycling Brassica rapa (RCBr), or Fast Plants. The objectives of the project include development of microsatellite markers for RCBr and analysis methods that make them accessible to the instructional lab, strains of RCBr with defined microsatellite genotypes resembling human genetic variation, a pedigree analysis experiment for linkage analysis with microsatellite markers and the model genetic disease anthocyaninless, a virtual laboratory in which students will exchange data with peers, analyze data, and allow the instructor to track their data analysis, and a prototype web site and manual for high school teachers and students to analyze data generated by the college labs. The types of genetic analysis the students can use in these instructional labs include techniques of microsatellite analysis, assessment of informativeness of families, inheritance of highly polymorphic markers, and haplotype analysis. Since genetic linkage cannot be established from a single family, students use the virtual lab to pool data. In this way, students can perform experiments that accurately model human genetic analysis and gain experience with molecular markers. The web-based system facilitates analysis of complex data, pooling of individual student data, and instructor tracking of analysis.