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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Effects Of Plasticity And Hybridization On Life History Traits In Arabidopsis Thaliana Ecotypes, Kattia Paola Palacio Lopez
Effects Of Plasticity And Hybridization On Life History Traits In Arabidopsis Thaliana Ecotypes, Kattia Paola Palacio Lopez
Graduate College Dissertations and Theses
Understanding the strategies that plant populations implement to increase evolutionary responsiveness to better survive environmental changes induced by climate change is a critical challenge for ecology and evolutionary studies. This dissertation investigates the role of hybridization, local adaptation, and phenotypic plasticity in plant population responses to environmental change. Specifically, I utilized meta-analysis techniques to investigate the prevalence of local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity as the two main mechanisms used to adapt to heterogeneous environments, and experimentally explored the genetic pathway of plasticity in phenology traits such as bolting time in Arabidopsis thaliana under high temperatures. Furthermore, A. thaliana was used …
Evolutionary Innovations In Ants To Thermally Stressful Environments, Andrew D. Nguyen
Evolutionary Innovations In Ants To Thermally Stressful Environments, Andrew D. Nguyen
Graduate College Dissertations and Theses
Temperature is a fundamental environmental force shaping species abundance and distributions through its effects on biochemical reaction rates, metabolism, activity, and reproduction. In light of future climate shifts, mainly driven by temperature increases, how will organisms persist in warmer environments? One molecular mechanism that may play an important role in coping with heat stress is the heat shock response (HSR), which protects against molecular damage. To prevent and repair protein damage specifically, Hsps activate and become up-regulated. However, the functional diversity and relevance of heat shock proteins (Hsps) in extending upper thermal limits in taxonomic groups outside marine and model …
Evolution Of Duplicated Han-Like Genes In Petunia X Hybrida., Beck Powers
Evolution Of Duplicated Han-Like Genes In Petunia X Hybrida., Beck Powers
Graduate College Dissertations and Theses
Gene duplications generate critical components of genetic variation that can be selected upon to affect phenotypic evolution. The angiosperm GATA transcription factor family has undergone both ancient and recent gene duplications, with the HAN-like clade displaying divergent functions in organ boundary establishment and lateral organ growth. To better determine the ancestral function within core eudicots, and to investigate their potential role in floral diversification, I conducted HAN-like gene expression and partial silencing analyses in the asterid species petunia (Petunia x hybrida). My results indicate duplication of HAN-like genes at the base of Solanaceae followed by expression diversification within the flower. …