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WEEK 9

So I can't handle how fast this week went by!  It was pretty jam packed....  lots of different PCR reactions, gel purification, cloning galore and sampling!

The cryptophyte rubisco primers are working really well and next week we will have sequences for multiple sample locations and dates! We will have sequences for peak red tide blooms for 2007 and 2008, Ilwaco on June 30th, Ilwaco on July 21st, Willapa on June 30th and Willapa on June 23rd (different sampling team). I am very excited to get all the sequences back and compare them!

This week I also played around with a 5.8 ITS primer (instead of the 28S I have been using) in combination with one of the M. rubra primers. To my surprise, this worked well the first time I tried it on the peak red tide bloom samples from 2007 and 2008 so we will have those sequences next week as well.

Yesterday, Lydie and I went sampling at various locations. We took samples from Hammond, Ilwaco, Chinook (both in the harbor and in Baker Bay), and the estuary (North Channel). Although we didn't see any red coloration in the water, when we got back to CMOP to filter all the sample water the Ilwaco water had a red patch! Looking at the Hammond and Ilwaco samples under the microscope we could see tons of M. rubra cells jumping around. I have read articles about how fast and long they can jump but actually seeing it happen was really cool! It was also awesome to see the cells filled with tons of cryptophyte chloroplasts.

Overall this has been a great week. The only dissappointing thing is that next week is my last week and my project is beginning to get really exciting! :(