Developing a biochemical fingerprint technique for nematode identification
source: ecology
Background
Most fingerprinting methods in soil ecology are used to investigate soil microorganisms. The main applications are to provide community structure, microbial diversity or metabolic processes. Microbial fingerprinting methods include biochemical analysis of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) as well as genetic approaches such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE).
In comparison to the well-developed methods for microbial community profiling, fingerprinting techniques for the soil fauna have lagged behind. Nematodes can serve as a model here, as recently relationships between lipid metabolism and taxonomic position were uncovered. By integration of diverse nematode taxa as well as entire fatty acid pattern such correlations can be developed into a fingerprinting tool linking nematode phylogeny and ecological function.
Aims
Construct a lipid library with nematode species differing in ecological traits (feeding, parasite type, life strategy).
Develop a method for species classification using fatty acid profiles.
Combine statistical analyses of pattern similarity or uniqueness to improve the delineation method
Project timescale
This project can be adapted to any time of year and would produce valuable data.
