The following navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Left and right arrows move through main tier links and expand / close menus in sub tiers. Up and Down arrows will open main tier menus and toggle through sub tier links. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items.
Hannah Curtis and Dr. Julie Marshall, Department of Biochemistry, Lubbock Christian University, 5601 19th Street, Lubbock TX 79407
In recent years, advances surrounding genetic modification have prompted further research into genome editing of plants and foods. Nutritively, soybeans and peanuts are important due to the healthy fats they provide. Previous studies have utilized soybeans to investigate levels of palmitic acid, which has been found to be linked to increased health benefits and shelf stability. Soybeans that have higher palmitic acid contents have been identified as containing polymorphisms that increase palmitic acid levels, but it is currently unknown whether peanuts contain the same polymorphisms. A gene involved in fatty acid synthesis which has an effect on the levels of palmitic acid in Arachis hypogaea, is β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase II (KAS-II). If mutations cannot be found in the KAS-II gene, CRISPR-Cas9 technology could be utilized to generate mutations which could have a desirable impact on fatty acid levels. This study has a two-fold mission of determining optimal growing conditions for A. hypogaea in order to develop a functioning genome-editing system as well as sequencing the KAS-II gene for specific polymorphisms that would alter enzymatic activity and thus, levels of palmitic acid. DNA was isolated from A. hypogaea and primers were designed based on current KAS-II genetic sequences. The DNA isolates and designed primers were run through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to be amplified and this was followed by quantification of the PCR product. Samples were then chosen to be run through a 1% agarose gel in order to excise bands and be purified for sequencing. Sequences obtained were compared to the KAS-II gene sequence retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The collected sequences will provide vital information on the presence of polymorphisms in the KAS-II gene which has further implications for positive effects on palmitic acid levels and subsequent increased health benefits in A. hypogaea.
Presenter: Hannah Curtis
Institution: Lubbock Christian University
Type: Poster
Subject: Biochemistry
Status: Approved
