Undergraduate Comprehensive Experiments in Ecology in 2022 autumn semester

Responsible for the following components:

1. Population Genetic Analysis of Pomacea spp. in Subtropical Regions.
   •   Extraction of DNA from 16 individuals of the apple snail species Pomacea canaliculata, followed by the construction of second-generation genomic libraries (using the TN5 transposase method) for population genetics analysis of the apple snail population.
2. Research on the Adaptability of Apple Snails: Transcriptomic Analysis in Low-Temperature Environments.
   •   Collected samples of apple snails, dividing them into a control group (6 individuals) and a low-temperature experimental group (3 individuals). The control group was kept at a constant 25 degrees Celsius for 6 days. The low-temperature group experienced a 3-day exposure at 25 degrees Celsius followed by a gradual decrease to 5 degrees Celsius for another 3 days. We extracted RNA from the muscle tissue of individuals in both groups, initially using the Trizol method, and then converted it to cDNA using SMART-seq2. Subsequently, a second-generation genome library was constructed (utilizing the Tn5 technique) to explore further the adaptive mechanisms of apple snails under low-temperature stress conditions.
3. Metagenomic Study of the Subterranean Termite (Odontotermes formosanus) and its Ecological Function in Lignocellulose Degradation.
   •   Sequencing of the microbial community within termite nest environments (second and third-generation sequencing). Utilizing second-generation (as described above) and third-generation (ONT) sequencing technologies to construct environmental microbial community libraries and sequence them, revealing microbial diversity and potential functions within termite nests.
4. Bioinformatics component (ATAC-seq, RNA-seq, Metagenomic Analysis):
   •   Primarily responsible for instructing RNA-seq data processing and analysis while also providing assistance in guiding data analysis for ATAC-seq and Metagenomic studies.