An Investigative Genetics Lab Course Using Drosophila Neurologic Mutants. Pat C. Lord, Cole Crowson, Erik C. Johnson. Dept Biol, Wake Forest Univ, Winston-Salem, NC.

   We have developed and tested a new genetics lab required of all biology majors that integrates transmission genetics and molecular biology. The lab is more question driven and indicative of how we use genetics and molecular biology in our research. The lab uses wild type and several different neurologic mutants. In the first weeks of lab, students identify their mutant based on its performance in multiple different behavioral assays. Once they have identified the mutant behavior, they use deficiency mapping, and bioinformatics to identify candidate genes. Next, using RNA isolated from their wild type and mutant flies and primers they have designed, we generate cDNA using RT-PCR. In addition, we provide sequence data for wild type and mutant cDNAs. Students then use the PCR fragments and sequence data to determine the actual mutation in their gene using bioinformatics. Finally, they predict how the DNA mutation affects the function of the protein and explains the defective behavior in mutant fly. In our first test of this lab, students struggles with DNA sequence manipulations in designing forward and reverse primers, building sequence contiqs, and analyzing DNA sequences files. We will describe strategies that we have used to improve students abilities to manipulate sequence data and assessment of learning outcomes.