Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration

The Behind-the-Scenes Research

The exhibit highlights research led by Senjie Lin, professor of marine sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Connecticut at Avery Point. Professor Lin is trying to determine which genes are active when toxins are produced in dinoflagellates - a microscopic plant, or phytoplankton - and a red tide is formed.

Dinoflagellates are fascinating organisms. They provide food for animals in the sea and are vital for the growth of coral reefs, yet they are also major contributors to coastal environmental hazards like red tide and marine toxins. Dissecting the DNA codes that make dinoflagellates able to produce red tides and toxins may someday help scientists be able to predict when a red tide is forming.

How does red tide affect us? Toxins from red tide can spread up the food chain, from shellfish to marine animals to humans, causing illness and, in some cases, death.

The Exhibit Experience

Upon entering the exhibit, guests pass through a large arch that reveals the genetic code of mitotic cyclin, a universal protein that controls cell division, including in red tide-producing dinoflagellates. Want to know how many genes you have in common with a chimp, puffer fish, even bacteria? Spin the exhibit’s genome similarity dial to find out! At the Codon Hoedown, build a virtual DNA strand by following the correct chemical base sequence, or code, on a dance pad. In the DNA lab, University of Connecticut science students guide kids in extracting and capturing DNA in a necklace they can take home. A DNA arch, 10-foot-high DNA double helix sculpture and the DNA lab - all built by a team of craftsmen at Mystic Aquarium - round out the exhibit.

Test your newfound DNA and red tide knowledge with this crossword puzzle!