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Title: Analysis of the
Sindbis Virus Genome Upon Establishment of a Persistent
Infection in Mosquito Cells (Advisor: Dr. Robert Johnston - Sponsor: Dr. Lillie Searles - Mentor: Dr. Laura White)
Brandon Martin Williams The goal of my project is to determine if there are sites of consistent mutation after growing Sindbis virus exclusively in mosquito cells (Aedes Albopictus C6/36). The normal Sindbis life cycle includes a mosquito vector and a vertebrate host. To determine the sites of consistent mutation, I have established three independent lines of persistently infected cells and collected the supernatant from the cell cultures at regular time points. The released virus, found in the supernatant, has been extracted and sequenced. These sequences were compared to the wild type sequence to determine the sites of mutation. It is hypothesized that there will be sites of consistent mutation. By studying the sites of mutation, a better understanding of why it has been evolutionarily favorable for Sindbis to have a relatively plastic genome will be gained. |
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