Meiofaunal Flatworm Diet Analysis via Diagnostic PCR
Poster Number
16
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Biology
Faculty Mentor
Julian Smith III, Ph.D.
Abstract
Studies of meiofaunal food webs are hindered because a scarce number of prey have features that allow identification and persist long enough in the predator’s digestive tract. PCR-based approaches have proven to be successful methods for identifying and amplifying prey sequences from the digestive tracts of predators. In this paper, we will report the effective use of prey-taxon-specific primers in diagnostic PCR to identify prey, to the species level, in meiofaunal flatworms. The predator species in focus will be Proschizorhynchella, a kalyptorhynch flatworm. The prey species in focus will be Amphipoda, commonly known as amphipods, and Decapoda, commonly known as decapods. An alignment of crustacean 18S rDNA sequences will be generated, and primers specific to amphipods and decapods, that have never been designed before, will be created. Continuation of this method will permit establishment of the marine meiofaunal food web at the species level.
Start Date
21-4-2017 12:00 PM
Meiofaunal Flatworm Diet Analysis via Diagnostic PCR
Rutledge
Studies of meiofaunal food webs are hindered because a scarce number of prey have features that allow identification and persist long enough in the predator’s digestive tract. PCR-based approaches have proven to be successful methods for identifying and amplifying prey sequences from the digestive tracts of predators. In this paper, we will report the effective use of prey-taxon-specific primers in diagnostic PCR to identify prey, to the species level, in meiofaunal flatworms. The predator species in focus will be Proschizorhynchella, a kalyptorhynch flatworm. The prey species in focus will be Amphipoda, commonly known as amphipods, and Decapoda, commonly known as decapods. An alignment of crustacean 18S rDNA sequences will be generated, and primers specific to amphipods and decapods, that have never been designed before, will be created. Continuation of this method will permit establishment of the marine meiofaunal food web at the species level.
