Molecular Methods Working Group Summary
General areas of collaboration and improvement
1. Foster exchange of students and faculty, and develop funding sources to
finance exchange. Initial focus should be on arranging short visits (up to
several months) for UTPL students to visit laboratories in Idaho and
elsewhere to receive training and carry out specific small projects.
2. Areas of common interest include: molecular systematics, especially as applied to
microbial systematics, bioremediation involving microorganisms, and industrial processes
employing bacterial and fungal systems, plant development, and gene expression.
3. Foster projects and develop infrastructure in order to elevate the standard of science
undertaken at UTPL, with consequent increased visibility, and publications in journals
with high impact.
Specific Projects
1. Plant development, gene expression and protein characterization LEA
and SERK gene families/pathways.
2. Develop and investigate multiple cell lines for use in examining process of somatic
embryogenesis. 1st step is to develop molecular markers that allow identification of
distinct cell lineages.
3. Bioremediation of contaminated mine tailings, targeting Pseudomonas spp. and sulfatereducing bacteria, species native to the region, using molecular methods to identify and
characterize candidate bacterial species, and find those which have enhance
performance.
4. Bioleaching, or using microbial systems to improve recovery of precious metals. Typically
these bacteria are acidophilic, making culture of these strains problematic—cloning and
transfer of components of the leaching process, or discovery of lineages/spp that
maintain ability to precipitate target metals, but will be easier to culture. Use of molecular
methods to identify candidate microbial spp.
Action Plan of the group
Loja-UTPL
1. University administrators should negotiate with appropriate ministry to
facilitate acquisition of reagents and supplies—current research activities
are seriously hindered by transport delays, and costs are unnecessarily
increased by taxes imposed on imported reagents. University should seek
to streamline purchasing, and negotiate reduced import taxes or
exemption.
University of Idaho
1. Students are hindered by lack of availability to scientific literature—they
are not always current, and the variety of scientific journals available is
limited. Investigate possibilities for allowing limited access of students in
UTPL to electronic journals at UI, and organizing internet access.
2. Students are hindered by lack of availability of analysis software and computer power.
Investigate possibility for limited and project specific access for students to various UI
information technology resources.
3. Send senior graduates students with desirable expertise to conduct workshops, short
courses in Loja (IGERT?)
4. Identify laboratories and expertise as needed, both in US and in UTPL, and assist in
organizing visits for exchange of information and training.
5. 1)Protein expression patterns and evaluation of the effects of specific protein families
6. 2) Bioremediation. Using bacteria to break down cyanide, Pseudomonas and sulfate
reducing bacteria, natural source for production of gas, to provide reagents
7. Organization of travel grants for students to do specific projects. To work in general area
of plant development and gene expression and to identify functions of proteins in somatic
embryogenesis, specifically Lea (7 sets of genes) and Serk, with 5 loci involved.
8. Bioremediation of mine tailings, using native species, acidophilic, improve efficiency of
the process and develop a natural sorce for gas production.
9. Bioleaching, improve capacity of naturally occurring bacteria to improve efficiency of the
bacteria in liberating gold from hard rock mining.
10. Identify genetic markers in different plants to help monitor process of cell culture
development..
11. Senior graduate students in diverse disciplines who have time and opportunity to travel to
loja and provide.
12. Scientifically sophisticated projects with recognition, and which incorporate native
species.
13. Access to equipment, improved infrastructure, access to scientific literature, improved
access to reagents. Access to information and analytical software?