On Thursday, our AP Biology students (in Mrs. DeAngelo’s and Ms. Schwartz’s classes) headed over to the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to conduct a Human Mitochondrial Sequencing as part of their evolution unit. They extracted DNA from mitochondria in their cheek cells and were guided on how to amplify a small region of their own mitochondrial DNA by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and use the product as a template for DNA cycle sequencing.

The students obtain their “finished” sequence through the DNALC Internet site. Computer analysis of the data will be performed at school in the coming weeks using the DNALC’s bioinformatics tool “Sequence Server.” This lab examines Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human mitochondrial genome and uses it as the basis for understanding human evolution and worldwide migration patterns.

Thank you to Mrs. DeAngelo for the write-up

and the photos!