Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education最新文献

Recombinant plasmids are essential tools in molecular biotechnology, and reliable plasmid assembly methods have, therefore, become a prerequisite for the successful cloning and transfer of genes. Among the multitude of available plasmid assembly strategies, in vivo homologous recombinational cloning in yeast has emerged as a cost-effective and relatively simple method. Since we use this method routinely in our group for assembling large plasmids with secondary metabolite gene clusters and for direct heterologous production of polyketides in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we developed an exercise module for undergraduate students where they would get hands-on experience with these molecular practices. The exercises target several molecular techniques, including PCR, restriction enzyme digestion, and yeast recombinational cloning. The students will learn about plasmid assembly and yeast transformation methods by performing these experiments while inherently acquiring new skills valuable for their subsequent laboratory work or projects.

Logistical challenges in large enrollment classes are often mentioned as obstacles to active learning. Writing is an integral part of being a scientist and is often one of the first tools considered by STEM instructors to increase student engagement, but iterative writing assignments in large classes require creativity on the part of the instructor. We found an association between writing-to-learn assignments designed to be consistent with inclusive learning pedagogies and student performance measures in a large enrollment undergraduate biology course. They provide ample opportunity for deliberate practice and inclusive engagement, components of the "heads and hearts" hypothesis posed to explain the variation in active learning impacts on the performance of minoritized students.

Genetic analysis in model systems using bioinformatic approaches provides a rich context for a concrete and conceptual understanding of gene structure and function. With the intent to engage students in research and explore disease biology utilizing the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans model, we developed a semester-long course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) in a hybrid (online/in-person) learning environment-the gene-editing and evolutionary nematode exploration CURE (GENE-CURE). Using a combination of bioinformatic and molecular genetic tools, students performed structure-function analysis of disease-associated variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in human orthologs. With the aid of a series of workshop-style research sessions, students worked in teams of two to six members to identify a conserved VUS locus across species and design and test a polymerase chain reaction-based assay for targeted editing of a gene in the nematode and downstream genotyping. Research session discussions, responsible conduct of research training, electronic laboratory notebook, project reports, quizzes, and group poster presentations at a research symposium were assessed for mastery of learning objectives and research progress. Self-reflections were collected from students to assess engagement, science identity, and science efficacy. Qualitative analysis of these reflections indicated several gains suggesting that all students found many aspects of the GENE-CURE rewarding (learning process of research, self-confidence in research and science identity, and personal interest) and challenging (iterative research and failure, time management, COVID-19 pandemic, and life issues).

Meaningful pedagogical reform requires good faculty training and support programs. Such support is particularly valuable when colleges and universities are trying to bring research and inquiry into the laboratory curricula under resource-limited conditions. In this situation, it may help to extend the scope of the faculty support program to include training for practicing experimental techniques, sustainable networking opportunities, and a space to learn about pedagogical reforms. From this perspective, we share our experience about building a faculty development program for public college teachers who teach undergraduate biology in India. Though we designed the program for low-resource settings, the experiments curated could very well represent core biological concepts typically identified by the international community. The activities and overall design of the program can be useful for initiating pedagogical reform in any college/university where the traditional approach to biology laboratory instruction predominates, and high-end research is not easy to access.

This case study was designed to help students explore the molecular mechanisms of the spliceosome and how SARS-CoV-2 impacts host cell spliceosomal function while interpreting figures from primary literature (A. K. Banjeree, et al., Cell 183:1325-1339, e1-e10, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.10.004). "Pete and the Missing Scissors" was designed and implemented in the spring of 2022 and fall of 2022 in two large-enrollment (150+) introductory molecular biology courses at a large, public research institution. The case study was formatted in alignment with the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science (NCCSTS) framework, which has been shown to be an effective, student-centered approach to teaching complex biological concepts at the undergraduate level. The case study had four student learning objectives (SLOs) that aligned with Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and required students to develop an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of splicing and analyze and interpret a figure from primary literature. Both formative and summative assessment questions are included in this activity, with each question mapping to one of the case study SLOs. Summative assessment questions were given in a pre-/post-manner, and a paired t-test was used to evaluate differences between students' pre- and post-assessment scores. Assessment results demonstrated that students in both courses mastered each of the SLOs of this case study, given the significant increase in post-assessment scores compared to the pre-assessment. These findings indicate that the "Pete and the Missing Scissors" case study is an effective approach to develop students' understanding of the spliceosome, as well as ability to interpret figures from primary literature.