Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2014

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biology

Committee Chair

James Johnson

Second Committee Member

R. Steven Wagner

Third Committee Member

Alison Scoville

Abstract

The use of DNA sequencing to discover fungal pathogens of aquatic invertebrates, including mosquito larvae, was explored. Mosquito-borne diseases kill millions of people every year, mostly children. One method used to control the spread of mosquito-borne diseases has been to use mosquito-killing fungi to reduce mosquito populations. Locating and identifying pathogens of mosquitoes can be difficult, but with phylum specific primers, novel pathogens can be found, identified, and compared to known isolates without rearing mosquitoes, setting baited traps for pathogens, or culturing microbes associated with mosquito larvae. Mosquito larvae and other aquatic invertebrates were subjected to PCR and DNA sequencing with fungal and microsporidian specific primers. A microsporidian pathogen of a damselfly was isolated using phylum specific primer sequencing. These results show that sequencing can be used to discover pathogens in aquatic invertebrates.

Comments

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