Title       : SGER:  Miocene Fossil DNA:  The Potential and Limitations of
               Molecular Paleobotany
Type        : Award
NSF Org     : DEB
Latest
Amendment
Date        : December 20,  1991
File        : a9201749

Award Number: 9201749
Award Instr.: Standard Grant
Prgm Manager:
              DEB  DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY
              BIO  DIRECT FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Start Date  : December 15,  1991
Expires     : May 31,  1993
Expected
Total Amt.  : $49,761
Investigator: Pamela S Soltis   SOLTIS@WSUVM1
              Douglas E Soltis
Sponsor     : Washington State Univ
              Business Grants Office
              Pullman, WA  991643140                      509/335-9661

NSF Program : 1127     SYSTEMATICS & POPULATION BIOLO
Fld Science : 61       Life Science Biological
              42       Geological Sciences
Fld Applictn: 0000099  Other Applications NEC
Abstract    :
          This research is to explore the feasibility of extracting,
     amplifying, and sequencing phylogenetically informative nuclear and
     chloroplast DNA from a broad array of Miocene plant fossils,
     amplified and sequenced.  Sequence analysis of chloroplast DNA and
     nuclear ribosomal DNA has provided the most powerful tool for
     rigorous analysis of the phylogeny of green plants.  However, the
     evidence for inferring phylogenetic pattern is indirect---i.e.,
     cpDNA and rDNA has been compared only for living members of the
     Chlorophyta.  If successful, this research would permit the direct
     incorporation of fossil materials into phylogenetic analyses.  The
     ability to isolate and analyze DNA from fossil specimens would
     therefore provide: (1) a control for phylogenetic inferences based
     on modern taxa; (2) an opportunity to calibrate the phylogenetic
     trajectories that have been hypothesized; and (3) the chance that
     precursors could be fit into the phylogenetic framework.  It is
     unclear if extraction of fossil DNA can be accomplished routinely,
     and there is some skepticism based on structural and theoretical
     grounds that it is not feasible to expect good returns of fossil
     DNA.  Also, it is unclear whether chloroplast and nuclear DNAs will
     be equally extractable (there is a possibility that cpDNA is less
     labile since it is borne within the chlorplast membrane).  This
     research will focus on a rich and diverse fossil bed in Idaho.