RUI: Ciliate Phylogeny Assessed by Mitochondrial Markers

Smith College, Northampton MA

Investigators

Abstract

This award to Laura A. Katz, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Smith College, will support systematic (taxonomic) studies of protozoans in two classes of ciliates. The diverse class Colpodea includes many soil ciliates, whereas members of the class Spirotrichea are abundant in freshwater and marine ecosystems. Numerous taxonomic hypotheses have emerged from studies of the visible structures (morphology) of these ciliates. To date, only a singe nuclear gene has been analyzed to assess hypotheses based on morphology. This award will dramatically increase the amount of molecular data from these microbes and will allow further evaluation of taxonomic hypotheses. Specifically, the work will focus on the nuclear gene plus other genes isolated from ciliate mitochondrial genomes. The resulting data will further our understanding of the evolution of ciliates, diverse microorganisms that are important ecologically and are commonly used in other biological research. This award will support the training of students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. There will be a continued recruitment of students from traditionally underrepresented groups and first generation college students, in part through a program founded by the principal investigator: Achieving Excellence in Mathematics, Engineering and Science (AEMES). AEMES is designed to enable diverse undergraduates to excel in science early in their studies at Smith College. At least one graduate student will also be trained, both in scientific methods and in effective mentoring of undergraduates. For all participants, training will be in the theoretical and practical aspects of molecular systematic methods. Finally, K-12 efforts will continue to focus on outreach to schools, with hands-on laboratory instruction at the Smith College campus and presentations at local schools.