 | Emily Nowicki The College of New Jersey BiologyMentor(s)Todd P. Michael, Ph.D. Wenqin Wang, M.S. Department of Plant Biology and Pathology Rutgers University |
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| Examining Circadian Clock Candidate Genes in Emiliania huxleyi | ||
| The circadian rhythm is an endogenous clock that regulates internal functions and processes of organisms. Studies are necessary to understand the extent that circadian clock genes are conserved from unicellular to higher organisms. Circadian clock studies can also increase knowledge of how living things grow, which for plants can be vital for alternate fuel research. The highly reflective, widespread phytoplankton Emiliania huxleyi was tested for the presence of circadian rhythm genes. Putative genes were found using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST), by comparing the E. huxleyi genome with known circadian clock genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. These candidate genes were screened for rhythm using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) over a 48-hour period, using samples collected at 4-hour intervals. Our studies suggest that 1) circadian clock genes in E. huxleyi are genetically homologous to those in Arabidopsis, 2) E. huxleyi cellular functions are mediated by a circadian clock, and 3) the six genes tested so far all show expression peaks at similar time points during the day. Additional genes will be tested in further studies to develop a clearer picture of the circadian clock’s role in this organism. |