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Published: January 5, 2015

Evolution of Mitochondrial DNA in Ferns

Stephanie Ware, Manager, Morphology Labs, SEM

Project Mentors: Dr. Matt von Konrat (Head of Botanical Collections, Collections Manager (Bryophytes & Ferns), Gantz Family Collections Center) and Dr. Felix Grewe (Postdoctoral Researcher, Integrative Research Center)

Project Description: Recent molecular studies of land plant evolution overwhelmingly indicate that ferns, horsetails, and whisk ferns are together the closest relatives to all seed plants. However, within this clade, the phylogenetic relationships of several fern species remain unknown due to the limited sequence data available. Today, next-generation sequencing technologies open new avenues for molecular phylogenetics and phylogenomics studies. In this project, these methods will be used to sequence and assemble the mitochondrial DNA of a water-fern species. The resulting sequence will serve as a template to identify new molecular marker sequences for the reconstruction of an improved fern phylogeny based on a selection of herbarium specimens.

Research methods and techniques: REU participants in this project will receive training in molecular and organismal research methods. They will learn how important a combination of both methods is for an understanding of the evolution of the diversity of life. The training will include an introduction to the literature and the handling of herbarium specimens. Molecular biology techniques will include DNA isolation of fresh and herbarium material, PCR, sequencing of PCR amplicons, and whole genome next-generation sequencing. Computational work will include assembly and analysis of next-generation sequencing data and phylogenetic reconstructions.

Stephanie Ware
Manager, Morphology Labs

Stephanie started volunteering at the Field Museum in 1998, working with Curator John Bates in the Bird Division. In 1999, John Bates hired her as a research assistant. After that project finished in 2007, she went to work for Carl Dick in the Division of Insects helping him to complete his work on the museum's Bat Fly collection. She spent a great deal of time generating images for the Bat Fly portion of theDiptera Taxonomy Database. When Carl left for University of Kentucky in 2009, she continued her imaging work in the Insect Division. In the intervening years, she has imaged hundreds specimens, mostly types, from the rove beetle (Staphylinidae), ant and myriapoda collections.

Stephanie began working with the Chicago Peregrine Program in 2006.  Initially, she monitored the Metropolitan Correctional Center nest in downtown Chicago.  Over time, her duties have expanded to include other nests in the metro region, emphasizing the identification of nesting adults.  In March of 2007, Stephanie created a group called Midwest Peregrine Falcons on the photo sharing website Flickr with the goal of providing a place for photographers across the country to submit their photographs of peregrine sightings in the Midwestern United States. She also has many of her own peregrine photos on Flickr as well.

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