Ecological findings of field studies on Tradescantia ohiensis and Tradescantia virginiana (common spiderworts) and DNA isolation and PCR protocol optimization for microsatellite genetic studies : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

Abstract

The goal of this study was focused on growth form analysis and study of the genomes and genomic relationships of Tradescantia ohiensis and Tradescantia virginiana (Spiderworts) using DNA microsatellites. Ecological field studies were conducted on Dauphin Island, Alabama, and in Henry County in Central Indiana. Analysis of the growth forms and habitats of the two species resulted in significant ecological conclusions. These include the analysis of altered patterns of growth in less than ideal environments (sand, salt spray, and shade), finding that the size and health of the plant is directly related to the environment in which that plant lives, and the realization that reproductive structure biomass is constant, despite the biomass allocation to other plant parts.A genomic DNA isolation and PCR protocol were also developed, using somatic tissue and pollen samples that were collected during the field studies. A sample was taken from each of the 500 plants examined, providing a source for DNA microsatellite analysis of genetic relatedness between two different species and between populations within the same species.