Closing the Gap: Determining the Nature of a Gap in Arhodomonas sp. Seminole DNA to Predict Gene Coding

Abstract

The purpose of our research is to complete the genomic sequence of Arhodomonas sp. Seminole so that we can identify the gene(s) that allow this species to survive in its environment and metabolize the crude oil. Arhodomonas sp. Seminole has 750 pieces that comprise its genomic DNA. We want to identify how they link together. Our group was given two of those pieces and charged with determining how they related to each other. Our hypothesis is that the contigs link together and code for a gene. In order to test our hypothesis we performed several tests including analysis on Blast, a database of the National Library of Medicine, PCR amplification, gel electrophoresis, and sequencing DNA. From our data we discerned that our two contigs did overlap one another and that the joined contigs likely coded for a known protein, 2-keto-gluconate dehydrogenase. From our data, we were able to conclude that our hypothesis is supported because our amplified DNA produced a product in the gel electrophoresis, and the sequenced DNA aligned with many known genes identified in other organisms.