Batrachoseps: Their Relationship to Themselves

and OthersBrandon Hodges

Jockush LabEcology and Evolutionary Biology

Brandon Hodges

Rising Junior Neurobiology and Physiology Major Physiatrist (M.D.) with a focus in Neuroscience Research on the Brain (Possibly Ph. D.)

Retrograde and Anterograde Amnesia

The Jockush Lab

Record Phenotypic Variation Understand how evolutionary and developmental factors influence phenotypic patterns

(primary in salamanders, beetles, and skinks) To discover new species of salamanders (primarily batrachoseps) and discover their

relationship to other species

Batrachoseps: Slender Salamanders Understanding phenotypic relationship between batrachosep species

and how they relate to other salamander species DNA Extraction-Lysing the cell and removing the surrounding cellular

material to expose the DNA inside Gel Electrophoresis-Separating the DNA and RNA molecules based on

molecular size by sending an electrical current through a buffer solution PCR- A reaction that identifies specific sequences in the DNA chain makes

exponential (up to billions) of copies of the DNA Evolutionary data set of the batrachosep genus

Goal To test the hypothesis that there is an evolutionary break between

the batrachosep salamanders and the batrachoseps at lower elevation are more closely related to each other than they are to the batrachoseps at higher elevation. In addition, the batrachosep salamanders at higher elevation are more closely related to each other than they are to the batrachoseps at lower elevation.

Research Supplies

Batrachosep tails and internal organs Ethanol (solvent) Proteinase K (enzyme) Razor Blades Master Mix (water, EX. Taq, MVZ 15, MVZ 16, buffer, DNTP, and Mg2+ ) Pipettes Tweezers Buffer Solutions Ice Bucket Test Tubes

Technology

Vortex Machine Centrifuge Incubator (set to 55oC)/ Shaker Hot Water Bath Spectrophotometer PCR machine Gel Electrophoresis

Lab Work

Chromatograms for DNA sequences of ELJ2030 and ELJ2133

If I Could Continue

Why does do batrachoseps only move two meters a year?

What I Learned I learned I like research more than I thought. This was my first time

being apart of an actual research lab and I really enjoyed it. I learned I pick up stuff faster in the a lab or in the field learning as I go as opposed to studying it from textbooks or powerpoints. Furthermore, I surprised myself with how much I remembered from all of my years are studying ecology, evolution, and other science related classes and how well I was able to apply that knowledge to the lab. Finally, I discovered how I was able to relate other classes such as chemistry (organic chemistry mostly) and physics to my biology lab, which in turn made me truly understand how all of these sciences overlap one another.

Acknowledgements

Research Mentors Dr. Elizabeth L. Jockush Hannah Ralici (M.S.), Cera Fischer (M.S.), Andrew Frank

McNair Fellows Program