Project:

The Effect of Various DNA Isolation Methods on Sequence Accuracy in Tarantula Molt Skins

Students:

Victoria Casares, Shelli Tetelman, Nicolette Raynor

School:

Lynbrook Senior High School, Nassau

Mentors:

Kathleen McAuley

Abstract:

Tarantulas are arachnids and invertebrate animals. They have eight legs and exoskeletons. Tarantulas are covered in a thick layer of hair. They are found in the southwest part of the world including many countries. Molting is also known as Ecdysis. Ecdysis is when tarantulas shed their old exoskeleton to grow and regenerate a new one. Tarantulas slowly wiggle out of their old skin leaving behind a cast known as molt skin. Molt skin contains usable DNA from the epithelial cells that line its body. Molt skin is a valuable, effective not invasive way to isolate DNA from a tarantula. The fresher the molt skin is the more accurate results are in a DNA isolation.

Team samples:

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