Authors
Gee Chong Ling, Christopher Jin, Dimitri Karadarevic, Abraham Tsoi, Leah Trimby, Zakia Begum Syeda, Sarita Pudasaini, Pranita Poudyal, Sabina Bhandari, Jackie Lu, Saleh Alquethamy, Winton Wu, Emma Fay Harding, Amy K Cain, Mark Tanaka, Jai J Tree
Published in
Journal of microbiology & biology education. Pages e0022126. Sep 23, 2026. Epub Sep 23, 2026.
Abstract
Understanding gene function through forward genetic screens is foundational to microbial genetics. Here, we describe the design and implementation of a multi-week course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) embedded within a third-year Microbial Genetics course, developed over three iterations in trimester 3 of 2023-2025. In this CURE, students construct a high-density Tn5 transposon insertion library in Escherichia coli, challenge the library with bacteriophage P1, and use transposon-directed insertion-site sequencing (TraDIS) coupled with statistical analysis (edgeR) to identify genes required for phage propagation. Students performed transposome electroporation, phage infection assays, genomic DNA extraction, analysis of high-throughput sequencing data on Galaxy, differential insertion analysis, data visualization, and ontology enrichment analysis. The project integrates wet-lab microbiology, molecular genetics, and bioinformatics while modeling an authentic forward genetic screen. This CURE emphasizes experimental design, genome-wide functional analysis, statistical reasoning, and interpretation of large-scale sequencing data. The curriculum is adaptable to other bacterial species, phage systems, or selective pressures, and provides a scalable framework for integrating authentic genomics research into upper-level microbiology courses.
PMID:
42776129
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 23 Sep 2026.
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