Talk:20.109(S15):Microbial DNA extraction (Day1)

Gulls are sampled with the Department of Conservation and Recreation of Massachusetts at various locations – including parking lots, beaches, and farms (see video at http://youtu.be/KjSETB49lnc). Briefly, the gulls are baited with bread (and sometimes Doritos), a rocket launcher shoots a net onto the birds, and they are then restrained and individually processed. Unlike most mammals, which have different excretory paths for urine and feces, birds have both their urine and feces excreted through a single opening called the cloaca. Birds also mate by touching their cloacas together, called a “cloacal kiss.” Processing the gulls involves measuring the morphometrics (weight, beak depth, etc.), banding the birds with federal bands, and swabbing them to detect influenza virus. Swabs from the oropharynx and cloaca of each bird are transported back to the lab and stored at –80 °C until they are processed to detect influenza virus. (Thanks to Chris -- the S14 20.109 Mod1 TA -- for this background!)

See bird sample assignments below:

Tuesday/Thursday

Team	Bird sample	Sex	Location
Orange	302	Male	Carson Beach
Yellow	040	Male	Worcester
Green	050	Male	Worcester
Blue	058	Female	Worcester
Purple	062	Female	Worcester

Wednesday/Friday

Team	Bird sample	Sex	Location
Red	040	Male	Worcester
Orange	302	Male	Carson Beach
Yellow	274	Male	Carson Beach
Green	050	Male	Worcester
Blue	058	Female	Worcester
Pink	290	Female	Carson Beach
Purple	062	Female	Worcester
White	312	Female	Carson Beach