The Bean Beetle Microbiome Project is an NSF-funded research-education collaboration of Emory University and Morehouse College.  The overall goal of this project is to determine the importance of student autonomy in a discovery CURE based on the bean beetle (Callosobruchus maculatus) microbiome across diverse institutions. Data collected by students is made available to the broader research community.

For information on what is known about the microbiome of the bean beetle, see https://www.beanbeetles.org/microbiome/. Details about the Bean Beetle Microbiome Project and our workshops can be found at https://www.beanbeetles.org/microbiome/the-bean-beetle-microbiome-project/. Our CURE curriculum with the most up-to-date experimental protocols are at https://www.beanbeetles.org/workshops/curriculum-materials/.

Below are teaching materials developed and data collected by, the Bean Beetle Microbiome Project that you may use for online teaching. Although the Bean Beetle Microbiome CURE is most appropriate for in-person instruction, the materials below may be helpful in hybrid and online courses.

General information on bean beetles and microbiomes

• Introduction to Microbiomes powerpoint
• Introduction to bean beetles powerpoint

Bioinformatics and analysis of Mi-Seq data

• Cyverse Tutorial: Student handout [docx][pdf], instructor handout [pdf]
• DNA Subway Tutorial
• DNA Subway Video Tutorial
• Community Analysis in R: Student handout [docx][pdf]
• Sample datasets (sequence files and metadata file)
  • Effect of bean host type
  • Effect of sex
• Using sample data sets in DNA Subway

Analysis of colony-based PCR data

• Student handout on BLAST analysis of sequencing data
• Search colony-based PCR data based on sample metadata and colony phenotype. Output includes a metadata file and a fasta file.

Community analysis of microbiome data from Mi-Seq

• Community Analysis in R: Student handout [docx][pdf]
• Sample data (level 5/family-level taxonomy)
  • Effect of host bean type
  • Effect of sex

Community analysis of microbiome data from colony-based PCR

• Student handout on community analysis of colony-based sequence data
• Instructor handout on community analysis
• Search colony-based PCR data based on sample metadata, colony phenotype, and bacterial taxonomy.

Community analysis of microbiome data from colony phenotypes

• Student handout on community analysis of phenotype data
• Instructor handout on community analysis
• Search colony phenotype data based on sample metadata and colony phenotype