华中科技大学生命科学与技术学院

2019暑期欧洲贝时璋菁英班研学夏令营日志

Day 11: 继续学习

 今天是来到哥廷根大学X-lab实验室学习的第二天,经过昨天一天的学习和晚上的市区游览，大家逐渐熟悉了这里的学习节奏，简单了解了城市和大学的历史。今天继续学习有关分子生物学的实验知识，昨天在Maram Bader博士的带领下我们提取了细菌质粒、进行了限制酶切和电泳检测DNA条带，最后我们将提取出的带有GFP和抗性基因的质粒转化到大肠杆菌中培养过夜。

 今天来的第一件事情就是观察昨天转化的实验结果，所有同学都在紫外光照下看到了转入GFP基因的大肠杆菌所发出的绿色荧光。接着，我们进入到了今天的学习，包括有从细菌中分离蛋白质，以及最后对分离出的蛋白质进行SDS凝胶电泳。另外，老师还特别为我们设计十分有意思的PCR实验，即测试肉制品样品中的动物来源。利用不同动物中的cytochrome-b基因的高度保守性，利用针对不同物种而设计的引物我们可以最后得到不同长度的PCR产物，最后就可以判别肉制品中的肉来自什么动物。

 经过美味的午餐和短暂的休息后，我们开始了下午的课程。我们成功得到了凝胶电泳的结果，清楚观察到阳性组中pGLO对应条带。我们还依次对自己的肉制品PCR样品结果进行分析，有趣的是有一组同学结果与分发之前记录不相符，或许我们正好遇到了一些不良商家以次充好的情况。实验过程期间，老师还向我们详细介绍了PCR-RFLP、AFLP、RAPD的原理，及其差异，以及PCR的一些应用，如临床诊断，检测传染源，亲缘关系的鉴定，刑侦检测，犯罪现场生物物证的个人识别鉴定等。PCR是我们平时实验中常用的一种生物技术，但这次利用PCR鉴定肉的种类将之与我们生活紧密联系，是一次难得的体验，让我们深刻感受到，生活处处都是科学。

 5点左右，Barbara Riller向我们介绍了哥廷根和XLAB实验室有关情况。哥廷根恰好位于德国的心脏，被德国人称为“科学之城”，而哥廷根大学是由乔治二世于1737年创立的，自创立以来，涌现出了一大批饮誉世界的著名学者。每年，都会有来自世界各国的学生来XLAB进行生物学、生态学、神经科学、化学和物理的学习。XLAB通过理论与科学实验之间的互动，来培养学生对科学的兴趣与探索精神，鼓励他们寻找有效的科研方法。“You hear,and you forget. You see, and you remember. You do and you understand.”理论与实践相结合，或许我们才能做到真正的融会贯通。

 时间总是过的飞快，不经意间，太阳已经缓缓地落下，整个哥廷根也慢慢地安静下来，但总感觉意犹未尽，希望明天能早一点到来。

 Today is the second day of our course at the X-lab at the University of Göttingen. After a day of study and a evening tour of the city, everyone gradually became familiar with the pace of learning and briefly understood the history of the city and the university. Yesterday, under the leadership of Dr. Maram Bader, we extracted bacterial plasmids, performed restriction enzyme digestion and electrophoresis to detect DNA samples, and finally we extracted the plasmid with GFP and Amp. The plasmid was transformed into E. coli and cultured overnight. Today, we continue to learn experimental knowledge about molecular biology.

 The first thing that we did today was to observe the experimental results of yesterday's transformation. Under ultraviolet light, all the students saw the green fluorescence emitted by E. coli transferred with the GFP gene. Next, we began today's study, including the isolation of proteins from bacteria, and finally SDS gel electrophoresis of the isolated proteins. In addition, the teacher specially designed a very interesting PCR experiment for us to test the animal source in the meat sample. Using the high conservation of the cytochrome-b gene in different animals, we can obtain PCR products of different lengths by using primers designed for different species, and finally we can determine which animal the meat in the meat product comes from. 

 After a delicious lunch and a short rest, we started the afternoon class. We successfully obtained the results of gel electrophoresis, and clearly observed the pGLO corresponding bands in the positive group. We also analyzed the PCR results of our meat products in turn. It was interesting that the results of one group of students were not consistent with the records. Maybe we just met some bad merchants who used inferior products as good ones. During the experiment, the teacher also introduced to us the principle of RFLP, AFLP and RAPD, their differences, as well as some applications of PCR, such as clinical diagnosis, detection, identification of genetic relationship, criminal investigation and detection. PCR is a kind of biotechnology commonly used in our daily experiments, but this time using PCR to identify the types of meat will be closely linked with our life. The experience is special. And through it, we deeply feel that life is science everywhere.

 At 5 o 'clock, Barbara Riller briefed us on Gottingen and XLAB. Located in the heart of Germany, Gottingen university is called "the city of science" by the Germans. Since it was established by George II in 1737, a large number of famous scholars have emerged. Every year, students from all over the world come to XLAB to study biology, ecology, neuroscience, chemistry and physics. Through the interaction between theories and scientific experiments, XLAB cultivates students' interest in science and exploration spirit, and encourages them to find effective scientific research methods.

 Time always passes very fast. And the sun has fallen slowly. the whole Gottingen also slowly quiet down. I wish tomorrow could come earlier.