Senior Charlotte Chon, a student in Biotechnology Research, has been investigating viral diseases found in Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite that harms honeybees. She collected mites from hives in the IA apiary and extracted RNA from their tissues. Using a technique called rt‑qPCR, she tested for Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), a virus that can be deadly to honeybees.

Charlotte’s early rt‑qPCR results suggested that the virus might be present, but she needed more evidence. To confirm her findings, she used PCR to copy the DNA and then sequenced it. This required running a gel electrophoresis, cutting out specific DNA bands, and preparing them for sequencing.

After processing the data, Charlotte used bioinformatics tools to compare the DNA sequences with those in the NIH BLAST database. Her results were a perfect 100% match for DWV genes—confirming that the virus is present in the mites she sampled.

This is an important discovery, especially since beekeepers treat for Varroa mites each fall to protect hives over the winter. Congratulations to Charlotte for applying advanced biotechnology techniques to make this finding! Her next step will be to measure how much virus is present in each sample.