Award Abstract #0207870
BAC Libraries for the Reptilia, Including Birds: Genomic Resources for Comparative Biology

NSF Org:	IOS Division of Integrative Organismal Systems
Initial Amendment Date:	July 8, 2002
Latest Amendment Date:	June 10, 2003
Award Number:	0207870
Award Instrument:	Continuing grant
Program Manager:	Judith Plesset IOS Division of Integrative Organismal Systems BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date:	July 1, 2002
Expires:	April 30, 2004 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$1095539
Investigator(s):	Scott Edwards sedwards@fas.harvard.edu (Principal Investigator) Chris Amemiya (Co-Principal Investigator) J. Robert Macey (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	University of Washington 4333 Brooklyn Ave NE SEATTLE, WA 98195 206/543-4043
NSF Program(s):	PHYLOGENETIC SYSTEMATICS, DEVELOPMENTAL SYSTEMS CLUSTER
Field Application(s):	0000099 Other Applications NEC
Program Reference Code(s):	BIOT, 9183, 1619, 1080
Program Element Code(s):	1171, 1111

ABSTRACT

0207870

Edwards

Bacterial artificial chromosome libraries are collections of large (100, 000 - 200,000 DNA base pair) DNA fragments that are made retrievable and manipulatable by insertion into a specialized vector. As resources for easily obtaining large amounts of DNA sequences for comparative purposes, for understanding the structure of eukaryotic genomes, and for expressing and manipulating genes and their phenotypic effects in developing embryos, BAC libraries are unsurpassed. However, constructing BAC libraries is beyond the abilities of most laboratories not specifically tailored for this purpose. This project will consist of constructing, archiving and disseminating to the international community of scientists BAC libraries from five species of Reptilia, including a bird. The five focal species will be Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus), South American Worm Lizard (an amphisbaenian; Amphisbaea alba), American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), and the flightless Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae). In the event that an appropriate Tuatara sample is not available (a distinct possibility given its endangered status and restricted range in New Zealand), a BAC library from a snake will be constructed. Reptilia, consisting of birds as well as species commonly referred to as reptiles, are poorly studied from genetic, developmental, genomic and phylogenetic perspectives; although Reptilia are much more diverse than their sister group, the mammals, mammals are much better studied as model biological species. The construction and arraying of BAC libraries from these species will open up many new avenues of research into reptile genomics that were previously unapproachable. There will be many scientific uses for these BAC libraries, including facilitating acquisition of comparative DNA data for phylogenetic and comparative genomic purposes, and a better understanding of the function of genes responsible for many features first appearing in the reptiles, such as feathers, temperature-dependent sex determination, limb reduction and loss, and large-scale genome reduction compared to mammals. Thus these libraries will fill a major gap in our understanding of vertebrate genomics, a rapidly progressing discipline spurred on by the recent sequencing of the complete human, mouse and pufferfish genomes.

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