INTRODUCTION

Grant

Lincoln Public Schools Foundation Grant:  LHS/UNL Collaboration Research Experience for Advanced Chemistry Students.     PDF Format

Introduction

Prostanglandin biosynthesis requires an organism to supply a ready source of Arachidonic acid (C20:4).  The specific tissue contains low-level titers of C20:4 stored in the forms of phospholipids (PLs) and diacylglycerols (DGs).  The mobilization of these fatty acids requires phospholipase activity. We are interested in seeing if the midgut of M.Sexta contains enough C20:4 within the tissue to metabolize prostaglandins as compared to in vitro metabolism.

Participants

2001-2002 LHS Advanced Chemistry Class

L-R.  Nghia Le, Mr. Sean Putnam, Dimi Hua, Kristin Williams, 

Lien Phun, Angela Maske, Huong Le, Tri Huynh. 

Not pictured. Jenny Truong

Itinerary

Friday, April 26^th.

8:30 Arrive at UNL, Plant Industry. Orientation, Project Outline & Prep Insect for Dissection.

8:45 Introduction by Dr. Stanley.  Insects as models for physiological & biochemical research.

9:00 Dissection, Protein Extraction/Analysis & Lipid Extraction

       -Team 1: Prostaglandin Biosynthesis

       -Team 2: Fatty Acid Analysis

10:45 Prostaglandin Biosynthesis & Isolate Lipid Sample (TLC)

12:00 Lunch:  Plant Industry Meeting Room.

12:20 Seminar: Physiology of Prostaglandins.  Dr. Stanley

12:45 Extraction of Prostaglandin samples & Methylation of Lipids

Saturday, April 27^th.

   9:45 Recap experiment & overview of chromatography

 10:00 Samples preparation for chromatography. Diazomethane & BSTFA reactions with PGs

  10:30 Begin running standards on GC & GC/MS

  12:45 Begin running samples on GC & GC/MS

 12:00 Lunch. On our own.

 12:30 Seminar: How insect immunity correlates mammalian immunity

            1:00 Finish sample analysis and data processing