(no subject)
Life has been an all-out whirlwind as of late. Managing to get through it all has been quite interesting.
Eight hours. That's how long I spent in the lab today. It was exhausting. I did two experiments involving DAPI staining and one round of PCR to get more mreB mutants.
My PI has been on my butt to get a specific mutation of the gene I'm working with. Apparently, there's some amazing paper, which I'm supposed to have had memorized by now, out there about a mutation I haven't been able to isolate. I'm happy enough w. the one theoronine mutant that I have. So, I did PCR into the low copy and the high copy of the template mreB. Not too sure either worked, but the transformation plates should tell me that tomorrow.
The DAPI staining is the better of the two types of experiments. Basically, I stain three different strains: my T170N mutant, the wild-type mreB, and a plasmid w.out mreB. I take the slides w. the stained strains and use an awesome microscope upstairs to look at them. I get a basic phase picture and then turn on the DAPI light. The DAPI stains the chromatin, so I can tell where the DNA is within the cell. Disruption of my gene, mreB, causes the cell to become more round because the DNA is unable to be separated in the correct manner. I did a first round of staining last week, but this weekend I did it by turning the gene off and on w. glucose and rhamnose and then making sure it grew extra-well by using this special recipe of LB that STL gave me. I get to look at the slides on Tuesday w. Vinny and we'll see how amazing I am - though we all know the answer to that question.
I've also been up to a lot of adventures in the city for queer occasions.
Went to GenderCrash on Thursday night. It was okay, except that I recognized way too many faces there. Both of my FCHC bosses were there. The old boss is as hot as ze ever was, but it was still a bit awkward. The poetry and interpretive dance was as amazing as ever and it really made me consider writing some pieces of my own. Doubt that'll ever happen, but I would like to get back into the swing of writing things down.
Went out to a drag show last night. Didn't quite make that, tho. We left too late because people were getting done w. rugby practice and had to shower. We ended up getting Veggie Planet and Herrel's ice cream instead. It was good to spend time w. Rayna and Aylin and the new freshmen. I need that break every now and again.
Thankfully, the semester is already half-way completed. Midterms weren't the best I ever had, but they were decent considering the amount I had to study in such a short period of time. Just need to get through this Physics one on Monday and then I have a "break" until the second week of November when I have four in two days. I get a nice reward for those hellish days, though.
That's about all the update I have. Need to get into bed so I can wake up early and get things done tomorrow. Going to be another exhausting day full of work.
Eight hours. That's how long I spent in the lab today. It was exhausting. I did two experiments involving DAPI staining and one round of PCR to get more mreB mutants.
My PI has been on my butt to get a specific mutation of the gene I'm working with. Apparently, there's some amazing paper, which I'm supposed to have had memorized by now, out there about a mutation I haven't been able to isolate. I'm happy enough w. the one theoronine mutant that I have. So, I did PCR into the low copy and the high copy of the template mreB. Not too sure either worked, but the transformation plates should tell me that tomorrow.
The DAPI staining is the better of the two types of experiments. Basically, I stain three different strains: my T170N mutant, the wild-type mreB, and a plasmid w.out mreB. I take the slides w. the stained strains and use an awesome microscope upstairs to look at them. I get a basic phase picture and then turn on the DAPI light. The DAPI stains the chromatin, so I can tell where the DNA is within the cell. Disruption of my gene, mreB, causes the cell to become more round because the DNA is unable to be separated in the correct manner. I did a first round of staining last week, but this weekend I did it by turning the gene off and on w. glucose and rhamnose and then making sure it grew extra-well by using this special recipe of LB that STL gave me. I get to look at the slides on Tuesday w. Vinny and we'll see how amazing I am - though we all know the answer to that question.
I've also been up to a lot of adventures in the city for queer occasions.
Went to GenderCrash on Thursday night. It was okay, except that I recognized way too many faces there. Both of my FCHC bosses were there. The old boss is as hot as ze ever was, but it was still a bit awkward. The poetry and interpretive dance was as amazing as ever and it really made me consider writing some pieces of my own. Doubt that'll ever happen, but I would like to get back into the swing of writing things down.
Went out to a drag show last night. Didn't quite make that, tho. We left too late because people were getting done w. rugby practice and had to shower. We ended up getting Veggie Planet and Herrel's ice cream instead. It was good to spend time w. Rayna and Aylin and the new freshmen. I need that break every now and again.
Thankfully, the semester is already half-way completed. Midterms weren't the best I ever had, but they were decent considering the amount I had to study in such a short period of time. Just need to get through this Physics one on Monday and then I have a "break" until the second week of November when I have four in two days. I get a nice reward for those hellish days, though.
That's about all the update I have. Need to get into bed so I can wake up early and get things done tomorrow. Going to be another exhausting day full of work.