Toral Trivedi L&S Sciences
Mapping Curly in Xenopus tropicalis Using Gynogenesis and Natural Mating Techniques
It has been discovered that Curly, the early developmental mutation in Xenopus tropicalis, a frog model for human biology, leads to an abnormal number of Mitotic cells during the cell cycle. The mutant phenotype is possibly due to the abnormal expression of cell cycle factors. Mapping the location allows us to study these factors, creating a greater understanding of cancer. My project focuses on using primers to map the Curly mutation by using a combination of two methods. One involves natural mating between hybrid Curly carriers, and the other generates diploid mutant embryos from only Curly mother DNA, a process called gynogenesis. Testing the fraction of mutants per embryos allows us to calculate the mutation’s genetic location from the centromere.
Message To Sponsor
I am grateful for the SURF award as it allows me to explore a project individually, and with a full time focus. For the year and a half that I worked in my lab before starting this project, I learned the many protocols helpful for the study of molecular biology. While I had an individual project to pursue, I could not alot myself a full time study of my subject. At the same time I am utilizing self-directed motivation to complete my project, I am thankful to have a supportive community of peer researchers with whom I can discuss the questions, problems, and decisions made during my project.