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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
The Ecology And Evolution Of Rare, Soil Specialist Astragalus Plants In The Arid Western U.S., Joseph M. Statwick
The Ecology And Evolution Of Rare, Soil Specialist Astragalus Plants In The Arid Western U.S., Joseph M. Statwick
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organisms that specialize in uncommon habitats are, by their very nature, inherently uncommon. Specialization has its advantages, namely reduced competition and predation, but it also incurs costs. Specialists often have small population sizes, narrow ranges, and fragmented habitat, all of which engender negative consequences on an evolutionary timescale. Herein, I examine benefits and costs of specialization in selenium-hyperaccumulating plants in the genus Astragalus (Fabaceae). These plants are disproportionately likely to be rare and of conservation concern. Thus, I optimized germination pretreatments for Astragalus species such that seed loss can be minimized during ex situ cultivation, and found that physical scarification …
Akap150 Dynamics In Anterior Pituitary Cells, Kristen E. Dew
Akap150 Dynamics In Anterior Pituitary Cells, Kristen E. Dew
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Cellular communication occurs as a result of changes in signaling pathways. A well-studied signaling pathway is through G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). In gonadotropes, GPCR stimulation by GnRH leads to the activation of protein kinase A (PKA). Activated PKA can phosphorylate ion channels, potentially causing an influx of calcium, depolarization and secretion of hormones. A scaffolding protein known as AKAP150 anchors PKA near L-type calcium channels. In addition, AKAP150 anchors phosphatases, which provides temporal control during signaling events. It was recently shown that AKAP150 is mobile in neuronal dendrites, providing regulation to where the signaling cascade occurs in the cell. …