University of Connecticut |
Scientist’s work featured at Mystic Aquarium
The link between gene expression in phytoplankton and toxic red tide may seem to be an unlikely theme for an exhibit at one of the state’s largest tourist attractions, Mystic Aquarium. But “DNA, Red Tide and the Sea” has kids hopping as they dance over the letters of the DNA code – C A, G, and T – to learn how DNA has a role in red tide. “Understanding the DNA structure is the key to cracking the secret behind dinoflagellates’ ability to form red tides and produce toxins, and that endeavor is accessible to anyone, as you can experience in the exhibit,” says Lin. Lin’s research on two species of dinoflagellates, microscopic plants, or phytoplankton, that live on the ocean surface and can produce a red tide, looks at which genes are active when red tide is formed and toxins are produced. He is leading a four-year, $1 million research project funded by the National Science Foundation that includes collaborators at the Scripps institution of Oceanography, the University of Maryland’s Center of Marine Biotechnology, and the Venter Institute. By learning which genes of the dinoflagellates are turned off or on during different growth conditions, the researchers hope to understand the genetic gears that control their growth and toxin production. The data they collect may someday enable scientists to find genetic markers that will predict when a toxic red tide is forming and how bad it will be. This year alone, $1.2 million in federal disaster assistance was allotted to Massachusetts commercial fisheries that lost income due to shellfish areas being closed because of red tide. Red tides are most common in the spring and summer and affect coastal areas most disturbed by human activity. Their toxins can spread up the food chain from shellfish to marine animals and humans, causing illness, and in some cases, death. In studying the dinoflagellates that can cause toxic red tides, Lin says the scientists are learning that they are much more complex genetically than expected. The tiny organisms have as much as 80 times more DNA than humans. The Mystic exhibit, which introduces visitors to how DNA works and its role in the red tide formation, is the outreach component of Lin’s NSF grant. On entering the exhibit, visitors pass through a large arch that reveals the genetic code of mitotic cyclin, a universal protein that controls cell division. They can spin a genome similarity dial to find out how humans’ genetic makeup compares to that of chimps, puffer fish, bacteria, and rice. The “Codon Hoedown” is a dance pad that visitors can hop on to build a virtual DNA strand by following the correct chemical base sequence, or code. UConn science students will guide visitors in extracting DNA from fruit in a lab area of the exhibit. To hear Senjie Lin talk about the project, go to: To see a video about the exhibit: To learn more about the Mystic exhibit, go to:
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