There is continued emphasis on increasing and improving genetics education for grades K-12, for medical professionals, and for the general public. Another critical audience is undergraduate students in introductory biology and genetics courses. To improve the learning of genetics, there is a need to first assess students' understanding of genetics concepts and their level of genetics literacy (i.e., genetics knowledge as it relates to, and affects, their lives). We have developed and evaluated a new instrument to assess the genetics literacy of undergraduate students taking introductory biology or genetics courses. The Genetics Literacy Assessment Instrument is a 31-item multiple-choice test that addresses 17 concepts identified as central to genetics literacy. The items were selected and modified on the basis of reviews by 25 genetics professionals and educators. The instrument underwent additional analysis in student focus groups and pilot testing. It has been evaluated using 400 students in eight introductory nonmajor biology and genetics courses. The content validity, discriminant validity, internal reliability, and stability of the instrument have been considered. This project directly enhances genetics education research by providing a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the genetics literacy of undergraduate students.

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Studies show teachers play an influential role in the career decision-making process of students and early knowledge of genetic counseling (GC) increases the likelihood students will consider this career option. This quantitative study is the first to explore the presentation of GC and other health care career options by high school (HS) biology/life science (B/LS) teachers in their classrooms. Our findings indicate most B/LS teachers present GC as a career option to HS students, agree it complements classroom activities, and perceive students as interested in learning about the profession. However, teachers note many barriers to spending class time presenting GC careers. Consequently, a substantial number of teachers spent a minimal amount of time presenting health care careers in general. We discuss ways genetic counselors can enhance career resources, reduce barriers, and foster student interest in pursuing a career in GC by developing partnerships with HS B/LS teachers.

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dMicrobial adaptation to environmental conditions is a complex process, including acquisition of positive traits through horizontal gene transfer or the modification of existing genes through duplication and/or mutation. In this study, we examined the adaptation of a Pseudomonas fluorescens isolate (R124) from the nutrient-limited mineral environment of a silica cave in comparison with P. fluorescens isolates from surface soil and the rhizosphere. Examination of metal homeostasis gene pathways demonstrated a high degree of conservation, suggesting that such systems remain functionally similar across chemical environments. The examination of genomic islands unique to our strain revealed the presence of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, aromatic carbon metabolism, and carbon turnover, confirmed through phenotypic assays, suggesting the acquisition of potentially novel mechanisms for energy metabolism in this strain. We also identified a twitching motility phenotype active at low-nutrient concentrations that may allow alternative exploratory mechanisms for this organism in a geochemical environment. Two sets of candidate twitching motility genes are present within the genome, one on the chromosome and one on a plasmid; however, a plasmid knockout identified the functional gene as being present on the chromosome. This work highlights the plasticity of the Pseudomonas genome, allowing the acquisition of novel nutrient-scavenging pathways across diverse geochemical environments while maintaining a core of functional stress response genes. Genomics has revolutionized the way we study microorganisms in the environment; in the postgenomic era, it is possible to describe the enzymatic pathway corresponding to metabolic pathways that are only hypothesized (1) or to predict the environmental function of uncultivated bacterial phyla based on singlecell isolation and genomic amplification (2, 3). The result has been a profound change in our understanding of microbial interactions and processes; however, not all environments have benefited from this revolution. At the intersection of microbiology and geology, comparative genomics has yet to examine how the interaction between microbes and minerals leads to genomic adaptation (4). As a result, numerous fundamental questions remain to be answered, such as what is the role of microorganisms in mineral precipitation and weathering (5, 6).In this study we examined the genome of an organism isolated from a predominantly mineral environment, using a cave-isolated Pseudomonas strain as a model. Due to their ubiquitous distribution in terrestrial environments and association with opportunistic infections, pseudomonads have been studied for many years, and a large number of representative genomes exist: 37 completed projects within the genus Pseudomonas. Among the hundreds of bacterial species we have isolated from cave environments, we decided to examine the genomic adaptations of Pseudomonas fluorescens to this mineral environment. P. fluorescens is an advantageous organism f...