Characterizing the HIF-1 alpha inhibitor gene in a willow leaf beetle
Recent advances in biotechnology have allowed us to scan entire organismal genomes to gain a better understanding of how genetic differences among individuals relate to physiological and evolutionary processes. This requires a combination of laboratory approaches and computer based analyses. Throughout the spring semester 2020, I participated in an ongoing genomic study of the leaf beetle Chrysomela aeneicollis. With the help of a SSU Biology graduate student, DNA extractions from beetles were conducted. Genetic libraries were then made from those extractions and sent for quality control and sequencing. Using the computer programs Geneious and Blast, I surveyed the scientific literature and decided to use computer resources to characterize the structure of a gene associated with responses to limited oxygen supply called HIF-1 alpha. Through these programs, I identified the region where the gene is located and compared its structure and nucleotide composition to related insect species.