Fat birds Fat people Fat Chance http www

Fat birds, Fat people, Fat Chance? http: //www. karenfincannon. com/chicbig. jpg

Why are we interested in fat chickens? • Study by Whigham et al in Jan 2006

Target audience • Non majors for adenovirus problem space • Majors or Molecular genetics class: PCR, sequence analysis problem space

Teaching objectives • Have students pose a question about adenovirus in humans or animals. • Students investigate this question by: 1. Looking at already available sequence data 2. In the lab by collecting specimens from a variety of sources, water, fomites, ocular secretions (depending on your IRB approval)

Some Adenovirus background • ds. DNA non enveloped icosohedral virus • 49 recognized serotypes • Variety of diseases in humans • infect birds, dogs, cats, goats • The genome is not segmented and consists of a single molecule of linear doublestranded DNA. http: //www. tulane. edu/%7 Edmsander/WWW/335/Adenoviruses. html

Some sample questions • What is the sequence similarity in human Adenovirus verses ducks, birds, dogs? • Is adenovirus correlated with obesity? • Does adenovirus exhibit the same diversity as HIV or West Nile viruses? • Can adenovirus be amplified from water sources? Farm run off, sewage • Can adenovirus be identified from fomites?

What will your students be doing? • • • Reading primary literature Analyzing existing data Bioinformatics, tree builing Collect samples, PCR amplify virus Subclone PCR product. Each student at least one clone • Students sequence clone (or send off) • Analyze sequences collected within the class and on database.

Sample Trees Ebnar et al 2005

Techniques used • • • PCR Subcloning Plasmid isolation Gel electrophoresis Sequence analysis Bioinformatics

Timeline • Non majors- one lab and follow up • A semester long project – Some independent studies students or summer projects to work out the bugs, do the primers work? – Once sequence is collected the sequence data can be entered into a problem space and used in other courses.

PCR primers • Many primer sequences directed toward hexon region available – Some accessible online – Or design your own

References • Whigham LD, Israel BA, Atkinson RL. 2006 Adipogenic potential of multiple human adenoviruses in vivo and in vitro in animals. Jan; 290(1): R 190 -4. Am. J. of Physiol. • Ebner K, Suda M, Watzinger F, Lion T. Related Articles, Molecular detection and quantitative analysis of the entire spectrum of human adenoviruses by a two-reaction real-time PCR assay. J Clin Microbiol. 2005 Jul; 43(7): 3049 -53. • Database of Ad 5 E 1 A mutations http: //www. geocities. com/Cape. Canaveral/Hangar /2541/data. html