Sagehen Creek Field Station

24 Jun, 08 AM - 25 Jun, 09 AM

Project Description The purpose of this field project is to collect fresh root-nodules from 2 genera of host plants that form these nitrogen-fixing symbioses with a particular Frankia sp, that has distinctive nodulation characteristics. DNA and RNA will be extracted from the nodules for high throughput sequencing, a project whose proposal is in review by the Joint Genomes Institute (DOE). The host genera, Purshia and Ceanothus, are actinorhizal plants -- a group of mostly woody perennials belonging to 8 Angiosperm families, that form nitrogen-fixing root-nodule symbioses in association with the bacterial genus, Frankia. These root nodules are similar to the those formed by associations between legumes and rhizobia; indeed, all 8 actinorhizal families, and the Fabaceae, are phylogenetically grouped in a single subclade of the Eurosid I, dubbed the ?nitrogen-fixing clade? (Soltis et al. 1995, PNAS 92:2647-2651). Together with collaborators Marc Facciotti (UC Davis), and Katharina Pawlowski (Stockholm University), I have applied for a Community Sequencing Project grant from Joint Genomes Institute, US Department of Energy, to better understand host responses to Frankia, using comparative metagenomics and metatranscriptomics of the root nodules of Purshia, Ceanothus, and Datisca (latter nodules are already collected). The results will give insight into evolutionary and metabolic mechanisms underlying root-nodule symbioses. It is crucial to collect fresh, active root nodule material that can be flash-frozen, to preserve the nucleic acids properly. Because of seasonal patterns of soil profile drying in California, and also due to carbon reallocation to fruit development (both of which reduce or eliminate nodule metabolism), it is imperative to time the collections of field material to coincide with the active vegetative growth period. Due to the late season in 2011, material at high elevation can now be collected.

Visit #25589 @Sagehen Creek Field Station

Approved

Under Project # 23867 | Research

Collection of nitrogen-fixing root nodules of native actinorhizal plants for genomic analysis

faculty - University of California, Davis

Reservation Members(s)

Alison Berry Jun 24 - 25, 2011 (2 days)
Alison Berry Jun 24 - 25, 2011 (2 days)
Alison Berry Jun 24 - 25, 2011 (2 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Apartment (Lower Camp) 3 Jun 24 - 25, 2011
Meadow Cabin (Lower Camp) 3 Jun 24 - 25, 2011