Building a First-Year Information Literacy Experience: Integrating Best Practices in Education and ACRL Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education

SLU100 (Introduction to the University Experience) is a mandatory first-year course. It provides a framework of strategies to help students succeed in and out of the classroom. This course includes a library component that requires each class section to attend a library instruction session. Time and staff limitations, as well as a desire to include meaningful active learning experiences relating to Information Literacy, prompted a redesign of the instructional approach. The new instruction plan integrates the ACRL IL standards, McREL strategies, and active learning opportunities in order to create library instruction sessions that are based on practical as well as theoretical concepts. Prior to their scheduled library sessions, each section of SLU100 watches a series of three videos designed to introduce key library concepts. These videos include information on library layout and where specific materials can be found, an introduction to the library’s homepage and how to navigate the most frequently used links, an overview of searching in our library catalog, a brief demonstration of how to use ProQuest to identify scholarly articles, and a sample reference interview meant to acquaint students with the services offered at the reference desk. The videos run about 20 minutes in length, and students must complete video worksheets while they watch. SLU100 library sessions include a brief review of the video topics and a brief discussion of some helpful search techniques. The lecture portion of the session was designed to last around ten minutes; following this, students work in groups to complete a library activity that will help them become familiar with basic library resources and that will enable them to participate in a “Library Jeopardy” game

Proteomic analysis of histone mark crosstalk at bivalent domains

The combination and interaction of histone marks and DNA-associated proteins are critical in the regulation of gene transcription. Individual histone marks have been associated with different gene expression states - histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) is associated with “open” chromatin and active transcription while H3K27me3 is associated with “closed” chromatin and a repressive transcriptional state. In certain cases, these marks have been shown to co-localise at genomic loci, and on the same nucleosome. The co-localisation of active H3K4me3 and repressive H3K27me3 marks at CpG promoters is a hallmark of bivalent domains. Bivalent domains have been implicated in priming developmental genes for timely activation. However, the complex network of proteins that bind to these domains to regulate and mediate their influence on transcription is unknown. This study has developed tools to enable the characterisation of the protein networks bound to bivalent domains and other specifically modified nucleosomes. In vitro synthesised specifically modified nucleosomes were utilised in pulldown assays with embryonic stem cell (ESC) nuclear extract to isolate the specific protein binders for different combinations of histone marks. This assay was validated by comparison of proteins bound to symmetrically modified nucleosomes with previously identified protein binders. A comparison of symmetrically and asymmetrically modified nucleosomes has elucidated new binding preferences for known proteins. Analysis of proteins bound to asymmetrically modified nucleosomes showed previously unknown binding affinities and conformational preferences. TAF3, a known H3K4me3 mark binder, prefers to bind symmetrically rather than asymmetrically modified nucleosomes, even when the same amount of the mark is present. Therefore, this preference is not solely dependent on the amount of modification, but also due to the conformation of the marks on the nucleosomes. We have identified multiple key proteins that prefer binding to this specific mark (H3K4me3/K27me3) conformation, including the acetyltransferase KAT6B. Work in mouse ESCs confirmed KAT6B binding to bivalent domains and showed a pronounced differentiation defect in KAT6B-/- cells due to mis-regulation of genes important in development. Further characterisation of these proteins and their interactions will help to clarify bivalent domain function

ChromID identifies the protein interactome at chromatin marks

ISSN:1546-1696ISSN:1087-015

Absence of XMRV in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of ARV-Treatment Naïve HIV-1 Infected and HIV-1/HCV Coinfected Individuals and Blood Donors

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) has been found in the prostatic tissue of prostate cancer patients and in the blood of chronic fatigue syndrome patients. However, numerous studies have found little to no trace of XMRV in different human cohorts. Based on evidence suggesting common transmission routes between XMRV and HIV-1, HIV-1 infected individuals may represent a high-risk group for XMRV infection and spread.</p> <h3>Methodology/Principal Findings</h3><p>DNA was isolated from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 179 HIV-1 infected treatment naïve patients, 86 of which were coinfected with HCV, and 54 healthy blood donors. DNA was screened for XMRV provirus with two sensitive, published PCR assays targeting XMRV <em>gag</em> and <em>env</em> and one sensitive, published nested PCR assay targeting <em>env</em>. Detection of XMRV was confirmed by DNA sequencing. One of the 179 HIV-1 infected patients tested positive for <em>gag</em> by non-nested PCR whereas the two other assays did not detect XMRV in any specimen. All healthy blood donors were negative for XMRV proviral sequences. Sera from 23 HIV-1 infected patients (15 HCV⁺) and 12 healthy donors were screened for the presence of XMRV-reactive antibodies by Western blot. Thirteen sera (57%) from HIV-1⁺ patients and 6 sera (50%) from healthy donors showed reactivity to XMRV-infected cell lysate.</p> <h3>Conclusions/Significance</h3><p>The virtual absence of XMRV in PBMCs suggests that XMRV is not associated with HIV-1 infected or HIV-1/HCV coinfected patients, or blood donors. Although we noted isolated incidents of serum reactivity to XMRV, we are unable to verify the antibodies as XMRV specific.</p> </div

Investigating the Threshold Concept of Format: Creating Instruction Kits to Engage Students

This poster will describe an inventive activity to introduce biology students to library resources in their subject area. The biology department at our university invited freshmen biology majors to participate in a one week “Biology Boot Camp.” The schedule included a 30 minute visit to the library. During this library session students worked in groups of three and received a kit which included a plastic insect and step-by-step instructions on using three different resources. Each member of the group used one of the three resources to find information on the assigned insect. They then compared the information found and answered questions pertaining to the usefulness of their resources. The groups then shared their findings with the class. As a result of the session, the students were able to recognize that different types of resources are better suited to specific research needs. With only 30 minutes allotted for each of these library instruction sessions, we wanted to steer away from simply demonstrating searching techniques and maximize our time by moving quickly into active learning integrating threshold concepts. The use of the kits was a creative way to engage students in a subject in which they were already interested and this idea can be easily applied to other subject areas. Overall, the students seemed to enjoy the session which served to reinforce their return visit to the library for a more general orientation as part our information literacy program. We will provide ideas for improving this type of activity and revisions for future sessions

Screening for XMRV in patient PBMCs by PCR.

<p>PCR products were analyzed on agarose gels containing ethidium bromide. (A) Representative gels for non-nested <i>env</i> (top panel) and non-nested <i>gag</i> (bottom panel) PCRs are shown containing a set of three replicates for each of 5 HIV-1⁺ patient samples. A yellow arrow indicates the sole PCR band, from patient 103219, found to be comprised of XMRV DNA by sequencing. (B) A representative gel for nested <i>env</i> PCR is shown for the same 5 HIV-1⁺ patient samples depicted in (A). Vertical black arrows in (A) and (B) indicate lanes from patient 103219 containing either (A, bottom panel) a band comprised of XMRV sequence or (B) a band of the expected mobility for the target sequence. (m) 100 base pair molecular weight marker, (1∶10⁴) DNA from one infected cell diluted in DNA from 10⁴ uninfected cells used as template for positive control.</p

Detecting murine DNA by IAP PCR.

<p>PCR products were analyzed on 1.5% agarose gels containing ethidium bromide. (A) Sensitivity of the IAP PCR assay was determined by performing PCRs on titrations of EL4 murine cell line DNA in a background of 200 ng LNCaP DNA. One murine cell equivalent (1 eq) indicates 6 pg of EL4 DNA. XMRV-infected LNCaP (iLNCaP) and uninfected LNCaP (uLNCaP) were included as controls. (B) Screening results for 17 HIV-1⁺ patient samples. Arrow points to sample 103219, which tested positive for XMRV by non-nested gag PCR. (m) 100 base pair molecular weight marker, (EL4) 6 pg of murine EL4 cell line DNA without a background of human DNA.</p

Summary of XMRV screening results.

a<p>Fractions are: number of subjects scoring positive/total number of subjects screened.</p>b<p>Ab, antibody.</p