Lots of PCRs

This first week has gone by so fast. The undergrads in my lab tell me that 7 weeks will go by like 2 days. Now I have only 5 weeks left to do my project. Although I have a vague idea about what my project will be, I don't really have a hypothesis or specific question I am answering. I am simply investigating a bunch of different genes, PCRing them, sequencing them, and then noticing any point mutations, or SNPs, that fall out of it. Since sea urchins are have a high crossing-over frequencing, and therefore have a good deal of mutations. For my project, I will be looking at 12 individuals and 27 primer sequences that will create 27 different bp sequences anywhere from 100 to 1500 bp in length. These sequences are all coding sequences in the skeletogenic network of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, a gene network that has been heavily researched and controls the development of the sea urchin's skeleton. I am looking at each of the 27 sequences in each individual, if I have time, in order to find any interesting mutation or mutations that this particular population has in common. Since each individual has 2 copies of its genetic material, I am actually sequencing 24 x 27 sequences of DNA, and that means 12 x 27 different PCRs. To make things quicker and easier, I am doing 4 individuals with 4 primers at a time, so that I do 16 PCRs at a time.
I also learned to use the spec machine on Friday. This allows you to look at how efficient the DNA purification after PCR was. It measures the concentration of DNA vs. protein, as well as the content of DNA vs. other junk that you don't want. You pipette a tiny droplet of the mixture onto a small metal surface and the machine uses light rays to read the DNA concentration in the water.
Overall, I had a very exciting week. I have learned so much, and gotten so much experience. It was a rush of different protocols and vocabulary, and I can't wait to learn more next week and the rest of this summer!