Concatenated γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors revisited: Finding order in chaos.

γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABARs), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors in the mammalian central nervous system, are arguably the most challenging member of the pentameric Cys-loop receptors to study due to their heteromeric structure. When two or more subunits are expressed together in heterologous systems, receptors of variable subunit type, ratio, and orientation can form, precluding accurate interpretation of data from functional studies. Subunit concatenation is a technique that involves the linking of individual subunits and in theory allows the precise control of the uniformity of expressed receptors.

The Genus Diphasiastrum and Its Lycopodium Alkaloids.

The genus Diphasiastrum includes at least 23 species distributed primarily across the northern temperate and subarctic areas of the world. These plants produce an array of lycopodium alkaloids, and some species such as Diphasiastrum complanatum have been used in traditional medicine for ages for various conditions. Hybridization is common in this group of plants and they have always been a challenge for taxonomists and other scientists studying them.