Thermal-based germination models are widely used to predict germination rate and germination timing of plants. However, comparison of model parameters between large numbers of species is rare. In this study, seeds of 27 species including 12 C4 and 15 C3 species were germinated at a range of constant temperatures from 5 °C to 40 °C. We used a modified thermal time model to calculate germination ...

Calponin contributes to the regulation of smooth muscle contraction through its interaction with F-actin and inhibition of the actin-activated Mg-ATPase activity of phosphorylated myosin. Previous studies have shown that the contractile agonist acetylcholine induced a direct association of translocated calponin and PKC-alpha in the membrane. In the present study, we have determined the domain o...

Somara S, Bitar KN. Direct association of calponin with specific domains of PKC. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 295: G1246 –G1254, 2008. First published October 23, 2008; doi:10.1152/ajpgi.90461.2008.—Calponin contributes to the regulation of smooth muscle contraction through its interaction with F-actin and inhibition of the actin-activated Mg-ATPase activity of phosphorylated myosin....

Neurachne is the only known grass lineage containing closely related C3, C3-C4 intermediate, and C4 species, making it an ideal taxon with which to study the evolution of C4 photosynthesis in the grasses. To begin dissecting the molecular changes that led to the evolution of C4 photosynthesis in this group, the complementary DNAs encoding four distinct β-carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoforms were ch...

Global warming, increasing CO2 concentration, and environmental disturbances affect grassland communities throughout the world. Here, we report on variations in the C3/C4 pattern of Inner Mongolian grassland derived from soil and vegetation. Soil samples from 149 sites covering an area of approximately 250 000 km within Inner Mongolia, People’s Republic of China were analyzed for the isotopic c...