Biotech Student Takes Part in Lichen Training

Jasper County High School (JCHS) independent Biotech research student Jessica Moore participated in “What is a Lichen” training at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center.

Sean Beeching, a volunteer with the Georgia Nature Conservancy, and Jody Rice, with the Wildlife Research Department, led the training which covered lichen identification techniques, collection protocols, and lichens as bioindicators.

Miss Moore will be applying the training to her research project: Comparing evolutionary relationships of local fungi based on phenotypic expression and genomic verification. Learning how to collect lichen samples and make accurate taxonomic assessment is an essential fundamental for her research project. The samples collected were taken back to the lab and DNA was extracted and amplified using specific techniques.

Specific fungal primers were used to target and amplify genomic regions. Samples were moved from the thermal cycler to a gel electrophoresis for visualization. Target results and the remaining prepared samples will be considered for possible sequencing.

This project is currently in phase one with only the first batch of samples being analyzed. Procedures are being refined and assessed to obtain a sample with enough integrity to be submitted for sequencing.

The culminating goal of this project is to upload a novel lichen DNA sequence to the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD) in the Student Data Portal (SDP). This project encompasses current technologies, fieldwork, and multiple collaborations. DNA coding is important for global preservation in terms of providing a “bank” for biodiversity and research.