Detecting a Jumping Gene
Teacher Professional Development in Genetics and Biotechnology

This lab examines a region of DNA from chromosome 16 that can contain a short nucleotide sequence called Alu within a noncoding region of the chromosome. Alu insertions are segments of DNA that “jump” around in the genome. Participants will prepare a sample of their own DNA from cells obtained by a sterile swab, use PCR to amplify the targeted locus, and agarose gel electrophoresis to determine the presence or absence of this Alu, which jumped into the chromosome tens of thousands of years ago. Class data is then used as part of an exploration of allele frequencies and population genetics, including Hardy Weinberg analysis.

This experiment directly correlates with AP Biology learning objectives and lab requirements,  and supports New York State Science Learning Standards with an emphasis on analyzing and interpreting data. Guided by an experienced DNALC educator, training will focus on lab skills, conceptual connections, and classroom implementation.

The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center is an approved Sponsor of Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE).

Science Summer Camp Open House
DNA Learning Center NYC at CityTech

Summer is just around the corner! With seemingly endless summer opportunities for your children to choose from, we want to remind you of an exciting opportunity for the NYC community.

Whether your children are science enthusiasts or they want to try something new this summer, the DNA Learning Center NYC summer camps in Downtown Brooklyn are a great option! Students entering grades 6–12 can choose from 10 week-long science camps offered from June 30^th through August 29^th.

Still debating or want to learn more about the DNA Learning Center? Come check out the state-of-the-art laboratories, do some hands-on experiments, and meet some of our educators at our open house on Thursday May 29^th, from 3:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.!

Families can pre-register on Eventbrite to let us know you are coming, or you can just stop by! Should you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to dnalcnyc@cshl.edu.

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Using Cell-free Systems to Synthesize and Express Bacteriophage Genomes: Practical Biomanufacturing for Bioscience Educators

Synthetic biology and biomanufacturing are buzzwords of an emerging bioeconomy based on our increasing ability to manipulate living systems. This workshop will equip bioscience educators with the knowledge, skills, and resources to introduce students to a simple workflow to manufacture bacteriophages (phages) with new host specificity, illustrating how biomolecules are adapted to interact with cell-surface receptors.

Discover the cutting-edge cell-free transcription-translation (TXTL) system for in vitro phage biomanufacturing with instructors from the University of Minnesota and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. This workshop emerges from a distinguished lineage of bacteriophage research that began at CSHL and provided the first tools to explore the molecular mechanics of living cells. The “Phage Course,” founded at CSHL in 1945 by Max Delbrück and Salvador Luria, trained the first two generations of molecular biologists. Al Hershey and Martha Chase’s “blender experiment,” conducted at CSHL in 1952, provided conclusive evidence that DNA is the molecule of heredity. Delbrück, Luria, Hershey shared the 1969 Nobel Prize for this seminal work.

Bacteriophages are being rediscovered as powerful tools to meet the pharmaceutical challenge of untreatable, multi-drug resistant bacterial infections. In the food industry, bacteriophages prevent formation of biofilms on equipment surfaces, sanitize fresh fruits and vegetables, and extend the shelf life of packaged foods. Using phages to treat bacterial infections in livestock increases resilience and helps eliminate the reservoir of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Phages also provide a virtually limitless source of bioactive materials that are increasingly exploited in biotechnology, nanotechnology, and bioremediation.

Phages are used in education as examples of simple genetic systems. The SEA-PHAGES Program of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute annotates phage genomes, and is one of the most widely implemented infrastructures for course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). TXTL is a logical next step for students who have been exposed to phage and/or bacterial genetics, providing them an opportunity to explore the use of phages in biomanufacturing.

Workshop participants will conduct hands-on experiments to express reporter genes and whole phage genomes in vitro, using a cell-free extract. Participants will complete an entire workflow to engineer wild-type T7 phage to infect a new E. coli host. This begins with long PCRs to amplify several fragments of the T7 genome, plus PCR mutagenesis of the tail fiber gene. The PCR products are then assembled and packaged as complete T7 genomes using the cell-free TXTL system. Spotting assays compare the host range of wild-type and mutant T7 phages. Participants will then conduct nanopore DNA sequencing, delivering same-day results to investigate point mutations in the tail fiber gene that account for infectivity.

A $400 stipend will be provided. Travel funds are available.

Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation: Future Manufacturing #2228971.