Research Activity Report
Supported by “Leading Graduate Program in Primatology and Wildlife Science”(Please be sure to submit this report after the trip that supported by PWS.)

2014. 06. 15
Affiliation/Position

Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation Universiti Malaysia Sabah / Master student

NameSabilah binti Tahir

1. Country/location of visit
Japan, Kyoto
2. Research project
Study on Plant (Ferns – DNA analysis for the gametophytes collected in Yakushima Island)
3. Date (departing from/returning to Japan)
2014. 05. 11 – 2014. 06. 13 (33days)
4. Main host researcher and affiliation
Dr. Shizuka Fuse (Professor at Kyoto University), Dr. Hirotoshi Sato (Professor at Kyoto University) and
Dr. Wataru Shinohara (Professor at Kagawa University)
5. Progress and results of your research/activity (You can attach extra pages if needed)
Please insert one or more pictures (to be publicly released). Below each picture, please provide a brief description.

During this visit, I was involved in conducting research on “Plant Group” which focusing on the diversity offerns in Yakushima Island. We have collected large amount of gametophytes especially from the thirdsampling sites which were at the Hanaage river basin. During the genome training course, our group wassupervised by Dr. Sato, Dr. Fuse and also Dr. Shinohara. We learnt how to identify the species offern-prothallia that were collected in Yakushima Island by using DNA barcoding technique. This was doneby using a short standardized DNA sequence (a sequence of chloroplast rbcL gene). This technique is usefulfor identifying species of an organism that found from the environment. For most fern species in Japan,
reference barcode sequences are available from the online DNA database. We learnt many process in DNA
analysis included the DNA extraction, PCR, Electrophoresis, Purification of PCR products, Cycle
Sequencing and also the application of samples to genetic analyzer. At the end of the process, we were very
excited to have the most endangered and endemic species of fern which is the Haplopteris Yakushimensis
and this meant that our goal has been succeeded. From the 48 samples of gametophytes being analyzed, only
38 DNA sequence obtained. We identified 7 species and 9 genera. A total of 4 gametophyte samples wereidentified as Haplopteris forrestiana which could be the Haplopteris yakushimensis, the recently reported
new and endangered species endemic to Yakushima Island. We also found 1 sample of Haplopteris sp. that
had three different base pairs from the possible Haptopteris yakushimensis, which could be the other or newspecies closely related to Haplopteris yakushimensis.

Submit to：report@wildlife-science.org

2014.05.27 version

Research Activity Report
Supported by “Leading Graduate Program in Primatology and Wildlife Science”(Please be sure to submit this report after the trip that supported by PWS.)Fig 1: Electrophoresis machineused in the genome training
courseFig 2: Students performing theelectrophoresis procedure
which was supervised by Dr.
SatoFig 3(above) Fig 4 (below) :The appearance of the DNA band fromdifferent primer on the agarose gel.

Fig 5 : Students performing the DNA barcode
sequences which were available from theonline DNA database

6. Others
We also had 1 day class/ lecture with Prof. Dr. Akifumi S. Tanabe for the Sequence processing by using theLINUX. This is mainly very useful for the metagenome course.

Submit to：report@wildlife-science.org

2014.05.27 version