Additional Funding Sources

This project was made possible by the NSF Idaho EPSCoR Program and by the National Science Foundation under Award No. OIA-1757324.

Presentation Date

7-2021

Abstract

Artemisia tridentata tridentata, or Basin Big Sagebrush, is a common plant species found in the Northwestern region of the United States that hosts a variety of species in its phyllosphere, including bacteria and fungi. The sagebrush leaf microbial communities have not yet been characterized, and in this experiment we try to discover exactly what types of microbes are living on and in the leaves of sagebrush plants and how they may support the plant itself. Microbes were cultured from leaves sampled from the Dry Creek in Boise, Idaho and selected based on unique appearances and the likely presence of multiple species. The selected cultures were subsampled to isolate the colonies and then either sent to GeneWiz for DNA isolation and genetic barcoding or DNA was extracted in the Bittleston lab at Boise State University. Cultures that were successfully sequenced were put into BLAST to identify their taxonomy. All searches fell into the Bacillus or Priestia genera and species identified are known to aid in plant and root growth and resist UV or pathogens in the ecosystem. PCR and gel electrophoresis are currently being conducted on all extracted cultures to be sent back to GeneWiz for genetic barcoding.

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Taxonomic Identification of Microbial Cultures from Sagebrush Leaf Microbiome

Artemisia tridentata tridentata, or Basin Big Sagebrush, is a common plant species found in the Northwestern region of the United States that hosts a variety of species in its phyllosphere, including bacteria and fungi. The sagebrush leaf microbial communities have not yet been characterized, and in this experiment we try to discover exactly what types of microbes are living on and in the leaves of sagebrush plants and how they may support the plant itself. Microbes were cultured from leaves sampled from the Dry Creek in Boise, Idaho and selected based on unique appearances and the likely presence of multiple species. The selected cultures were subsampled to isolate the colonies and then either sent to GeneWiz for DNA isolation and genetic barcoding or DNA was extracted in the Bittleston lab at Boise State University. Cultures that were successfully sequenced were put into BLAST to identify their taxonomy. All searches fell into the Bacillus or Priestia genera and species identified are known to aid in plant and root growth and resist UV or pathogens in the ecosystem. PCR and gel electrophoresis are currently being conducted on all extracted cultures to be sent back to GeneWiz for genetic barcoding.

 

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