Crassostrea virginica Mitochondrial Genome Resequencing. Crassostrea virginica

This BioProject is part of a CURE (course-based undergraduate research experience) in the Department of Biology at Salisbury University (Salisbury, Maryland, USA). Each student enrolled in the Bioinformatics 2 course developed their own PCR primers to amplify portions of the oyster mitochondrial genome. The complete oyster mitochondrial genome (GenBank AY905542) was used as a template for PCR primer design. The PCR primers were designed in such a way that the sequence from student1 would overlap slightly with the sequence from student2. The sequence from student3 would overlap slightly with the sequence from student2, and so on, such that by scaffolding the overlapping ends, the entire circular organellar genome can be assembled using conventional PCR with Sanger sequencing. This experiment was high value but low cost ($1200 USD), and can be recapitulated in other classroom laboratories with organisms that students find compelling.