This document summarizes Brandon Hodges' undergraduate research in the Jockush Lab studying Batrachoseps salamanders. The lab aims to understand phenotypic variation in salamanders and discover new species. Hodges is assisting with DNA extraction and PCR on Batrachoseps tails to test the hypothesis that elevation influences genetic relatedness between species. The lab uses techniques like gel electrophoresis to analyze DNA sequences. Hodges enjoyed applying knowledge from classes and gaining hands-on research experience. He thanks his mentors in the Jockush Lab and the McNair Fellows Program for the opportunity.

1. Batrachoseps: Their
Relationship to
Themselves and Others
Brandon Hodges
Jockush Lab
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

2. Brandon Hodges
 Rising Junior
 Neurobiology and Physiology Major
 Physiatrist (M.D.) with a focus in Neuroscience
 Research on the Brain (Possibly Ph. D.)
 Retrograde and Anterograde Amnesia

3. The Jockush Lab
 Record Phenotypic Variation
 Understand how evolutionary and developmental factors influence phenotypic patterns (primary in
salamanders, beetles, and skinks)
 To discover new species of salamanders (primarily batrachoseps) and discover their relationship to
other species

4. Batrachoseps: Slender Salamanders
 Understanding phenotypic relationship between batrachosep species and how
they relate to other salamander species
 DNA Extraction-Lysing the cell and removing the surrounding cellular material to
expose the DNA inside
 Gel Electrophoresis-Separating the DNA and RNA molecules based on molecular size
by sending an electrical current through a buffer solution
 PCR- A reaction that identifies specific sequences in the DNA chain makes
exponential (up to billions) of copies of the DNA
 Evolutionary data set of the batrachosep genus

5. Goal
 To test the hypothesis that there is an evolutionary break between the
batrachosep salamanders and the batrachoseps at lower elevation are more
closely related to each other than they are to the batrachoseps at higher
elevation. In addition, the batrachosep salamanders at higher elevation are
more closely related to each other than they are to the batrachoseps at lower
elevation.

6. Research Supplies
 Batrachosep tails and internal organs
 Ethanol (solvent)
 Proteinase K (enzyme)
 Razor Blades
 Master Mix (water, EX. Taq, MVZ 15, MVZ 16, buffer, DNTP, and Mg2+ )
 Pipettes
 Tweezers
 Buffer Solutions
 Ice Bucket
 Test Tubes

7. Technology
 Vortex Machine
 Centrifuge
 Incubator (set to 55oC)/ Shaker
 Hot Water Bath
 Spectrophotometer
 PCR machine
 Gel Electrophoresis

8. Lab Work

9. Chromatograms for DNA sequences of
ELJ2030 and ELJ2133

10. If I Could Continue
 Why does do batrachoseps only move two meters a year?

11. What I Learned
 I learned I like research more than I thought. This was my first time being
apart of an actual research lab and I really enjoyed it. I learned I pick up stuff
faster in the a lab or in the field learning as I go as opposed to studying it
from textbooks or powerpoints. Furthermore, I surprised myself with how
much I remembered from all of my years are studying ecology, evolution, and
other science related classes and how well I was able to apply that knowledge
to the lab. Finally, I discovered how I was able to relate other classes such as
chemistry (organic chemistry mostly) and physics to my biology lab, which in
turn made me truly understand how all of these sciences overlap one another.

12. Acknowledgements
 Research Mentors
 Dr. Elizabeth L. Jockush
 Hannah Ralici (M.S.), Cera Fischer (M.S.), Andrew Frank
 McNair Fellows Program