Survey of Functional Genes in the Arctic Soil of Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik

The objective of this study was to identify the different functional genes involved in key biogeochemical cycles in the sub- Arctic regions. Understanding the microbial diversity in the Arctic region is an important step to determine the effects of climate change on these areas. Soil samples were collected from the sub-Arctic region of Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik . At each sampling site five biological replicates were collected and DNA and RNA were subsequently extracted. The DNA and cDNA (synthesized from RNA samples) samples were shipped to the University of Oklahoma, where it was analyzed with the GeoChip microarray.