Dong, Y., M. A. Moran, and S. Guerrero. 2008. Exploring marine bacterial diversity in coastal Georgia salt marshes using DNA technology. The American Biology Teacher 70(5):279-283.

A laboratory exercise was performed by Advanced Placement biology students that uses modern DNA technology to identify bacteria and explore marine microbial diversity in a salt marsh. Water samples were collected from a marsh on Sapelo Island, Georgia, and bacterial isolation procedures were started in the field. Back in the classroom, students used the polymerase chain reaction to amplify 16S rRNA genes from the isolates for sequencing, and analyzed sequences using bioinformatic tools and an internet sequence database. This laboratory exposes students to the immense biodiversity of microorganisms and provides hands-on experience with modern DNA technology.