| Abstract Detail
Education & Outreach Amasino, Richard [1], Woody, Scott [2]. Development of rapid-cycling Brassica rapa as a model for teaching genetics. We are developing rapid-cycling B. rapa lines as a model for K-12 and undergraduate education in genetics and plant development. Rapid-cycling B. rapa has many advantages for classroom use as demonstrated by Paul Williams et al. with the FastPlants system. We have bred self-compatible rapid-cycling B. rapa lines so that we can readily create mutant lines and expand the range of exercises that can be developed in this system. For example, albino mutants provide a simple example of a deleterious recessive mutation that prevents survival to maturity, and a nice segue to a discussion of topics ranging from lethal mutations to photosynthesis. Students can quickly see a 3:1 segregation pattern among seeds from a heterozygous parent. They can save seed from the non-albino plants and find that 2/3 of them produce offspring that segregate albinos but observe that from the other 1/3 the albino trait is never seen again. This is a great lesson because it has the advantage that students will genotype the parents based upon their progeny - i.e., they need to work back from observation to a model. Our progress and ideas for collaborative efforts will be presented. Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - University of Wisconsin, Department of Biochemistry, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI, 53706-1544, US 2 - University of Wisconsin, Department of Biochemistry
Keywords: none specified
Presentation Type: ASPB Minisymposium Session: M08 Location: International Ballroom/Hilton Date: Monday, July 9th, 2007 Time: 8:30 AM Number: M08001 Abstract ID:2399 |