Achievement

The first year students have acquired experience with the double-digest RADseq method for quantifying genomic variation. This was initiated in November once all the field samples were collected. The students prepared plant DNAs using the fail-safe Qiagen preps. DNA was extracted from 288 field samples from Massachusetts to Georgia. In silico digests were conducted on other grass genome sequences to assess fragment size ranges, and real digests and size quantification confirmed the choice of enzymes. The students then prepared size-selected Illumina libraries according to the ddRAD protocol. These libraries have been submitted to the Core Facility and are awaiting a run on the HiSeq2500. The trainees, two from biology backgrounds and one from an applied math background, have worked through in the silico and wet-lab procedures for preparing next-gen sequencing projects. None of the trainees had these skills prior to participating in the IGERT project.