The ability of a population of fibroblasts to migrate along the surface of a tissue culture dish depends on adhesion between the cell surface and the extracellular matrix molecules coating the dish. The dish is coated with laminin, and the only cell-surface protein capable of binding laminin is a cell-adhesion protein called an integrin. Integrins are integral plasma-membrane proteins that function as heterodimers. Under these conditions the rate at which a fibroblast can migrate along the laminin coated culture dish is proportional to the strength of adhesion between the cell and the laminin substrate. The table below lists the rate of cell migration observed for fibroblasts genetically engineered to generate the indicated phenotypes. One explanation for the effect of overexpression of the cytoplasmic domain of the integrin beta subunit is that this domain normally functions to bind a cytoplasmic factor necessary for integrin function. Which of the following would be the most informative experiment to identify the cytoplasmic factor?

#Question id: 9200

#Unit 9. Diversity of Life Forms

During the inventory of bacterial genes present in the Sargasso Sea, a deep isolated area in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, a research team concluded that at least 1,800 bacterial species were present. Based on what you might predict about the habitat structure of such an area, what kind of bacterial diversity would you expect to see in tropical coral reef waters?

#Question id: 9198

#Unit 9. Diversity of Life Forms

Tropical forests are being converted to farm or pasture land at an alarming rate, and one major focus is on the biodiversity and the impact to these ecosystems. What is a direct benefit to humans that helps explain why these forests need to be preserved?

#Question id: 9196

#Unit 9. Diversity of Life Forms

If all individuals in the last remaining population of a particular frog species were all highly elated, which type of diversity would be of greatest concern when planning to prevent the species from going extinct?

#Question id: 9195

#Unit 9. Diversity of Life Forms

Philippe Bouchet and colleagues conducted a massive survey of marine molluscs on the west coast of New Caledonia. For 20% of the total species that were located and identified, only a single specimen was found. What does that suggest about the diversity of molluscs in this area?

#Question id: 9185

#Unit 9. Diversity of Life Forms

Plants are affected by an array of pathogens. Which of the following is a plant defense against disease?

#Question id: 9186

#Unit 9. Diversity of Life Forms

A pathogenic fungus invades a plant. What does the infected plant produce in response to the attack?