C2ORF40 suppresses breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion through modulating expression of M phase cell cycle genes

Recently, it has been suggested that C2ORF40 is a candidate tumor suppressor gene in breast cancer. However, the mechanism for reduced expression of C2ORF40 and its functional role in breast cancers remain unclear. Here we show that C2ORF40 is frequently silenced in human primary breast cancers and cell lines through promoter hypermethylation. C2ORF40 mRNA level is significantly associated with patient disease-free survival and distant cancer metastasis. Overexpression of C2ORF40 inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. By contrast, silencing C2ORF40 expression promotes these biological phenotypes. Bioinformatics and FACS analysis reveal C2ORF40 functions at G2/M phase by downregulation of mitotic genes expression, including UBE2C. Our results suggest that C2ORF40 acts as a tumor suppressor gene in breast cancer pathogenesis and progression and is a candidate prognostic marker for this disease.     

An intercalary translocation from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agropyron</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">cristatum</Emphasis> 6P chromosome into common wheat confers enhanced kernel number per spike

Main conclusion

This study explored 6P chromosomal translocations in wheat, and determined the effects of 6P intercalary chromosome segments on kernel number per wheat spike. Exploiting and utilising gene(s) from wild relative species has become an essential strategy for wheat crop improvement. In the translocation line Pubing2978, the intercalary 6P chromosome segment from Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn. (2n = 4x = 28, PPPP) carried valuable multi-kernel gene(s) and was selected from the offspring of the common wheat plant Fukuho and the irradiated wheat-A. cristatum 6P disomic substitution line 4844-8. Genomic in situ hybridisation (GISH), dual-colour fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH), and molecular markers were used to detect the small segmental 6P chromosome in the wheat background and its translocation breakpoint. Cytological studies demonstrated that Pubing2978 was a T1AS-6PL-1AS·1AL intercalary translocation with 42 chromosomes. The breakpoint was located near the centromeric region on the wheat chromosome 1AS and was flanked by the markers SSR12 and SSR283 based on an F₂ linkage map. The genotypic data, combined with the phenotypic information, implied that A. cristatum 6P chromosomal segment plays an important role in regulating the kernel number per spike (KPS). By comparison, the mean value of KPS in plants with translocations was approximately 10 higher than that in plants without translocations in three segregated populations. Moreover, the improvement in KPS was likely achieved by increasing both the spikelet number per spike (SNS) and the kernel number per spikelet. These excellent agronomic traits laid the foundation for further investigation of valuable genes and make the Pubing2978 line a promising germplasm for wheat breeding.

     

Rutin–Nickel Complex: Synthesis,Characterization, Antioxidant,DNA Binding,and DNA Cleavage Activities

The rutin–nickel (II) complex (RN) was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, UV–visible spectroscopy, IR, mass spectrometry, ¹H NMR, TG-DSC, SEM, and molar conductivity. The low molar conductivity value investigates the non-electrolyte nature of the complex. The elemental analysis and other physical and spectroscopic methods reveal the 1:2 stoichiometric ratio (metal/ligand) of the complex. An antioxidant study of rutin and its metal complex against DPPH radical showed that the complex has more radical scavenging activity than free rutin. The interaction of complex RN with DNA was determined using fluorescence spectra and agarose gel electrophoresis. The results showed that RN can intercalate moderately with DNA, quench a strong intercalator ethidium bromide (EB), and compete for the intercalative binding sites. The complex showed significant cleavage of pBR 322 DNA from supercoiled form (SC) to nicked circular form (NC), and these cleavage effects were dose-dependent. Moreover, the mechanism of DNA cleavage indicated that it was a hydrolytic cleavage pathway. These results revealed the potential nuclease activity of the complex to cleave DNA.     

Chromosomal Localization of Genes Conferring Desirable Agronomic Traits from Wheat-Agropyron cristatum Disomic Addition Line 5113

Creation of wheat-alien disomic addition lines and localization of desirable genes on alien chromosomes are important for utilization of these genes in genetic improvement of common wheat. In this study, wheat-Agropyron cristatum derivative line 5113 was characterized by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) and specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq), and was demonstrated to be a novel wheat-A. cristatum disomic 6P addition line. Compared with its parent Fukuhokomugi (Fukuho), 5113 displayed multiple elite agronomic traits, including higher uppermost internode/plant height ratio, larger flag leaf, longer spike length, elevated grain number per spike and spikelet number per spike, more kernel number in the middle spikelet, more fertile tiller number per plant, and enhanced resistance to powdery mildew and leaf rust. Genes conferring these elite traits were localized on the A. cristatum 6P chromosome by using SLAF-seq markers and biparental populations (F₁, BC₁F₁ and BC₁F₂ populations) produced from the crosses between Fukuho and 5113. Taken together, chromosomal localization of these desirable genes will facilitate transferring of high-yield and high-resistance genes from A. cristatum into common wheat, and serve as the foundation for the utilization of 5113 in wheat breeding.     

Improved Prediction of Protein Binding Sites from Sequences Using Genetic Algorithm

We undertook this project in response to the rapidly increasing number of protein structures with unknown functions in the Protein Data Bank. Here, we combined a genetic algorithm with a support vector machine to predict protein–protein binding sites. In an experiment on a testing dataset, we predicted the binding sites for 66% of our datasets, made up of 50 testing hetero-complexes. This classifier achieved greater sensitivity (60.17%), specificity (58.17%), accuracy (64.08%), and F-measure (54.79%), and a higher correlation coefficient (0.2502) than those of the support vector machine. This result can be used to guide biologists in designing specific experiments for protein analysis.     

Genetic mapping of a fertile tiller inhibition gene, ftin, in wheat

Increased fertile tiller number is a very important trait in high-yielding wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) lines. Uncovering the fundamental biological progress of fertile tiller formation would improve our understanding of the genetic nature of this trait and increase wheat yield. However, there is no suitable genetic material for studying the genetic mechanism of wheat fertile tiller formation. We report here the development of a fertile tiller inhibition line, Pubing3558, which was derived from a cross between common wheat and wild grass Agropyron cristatum. Pubing3558 possesses normal tillering ability in the seedling stage but reduced fertile tiller formation in the reproductive growth phase. A cross between Pubing3558 and the wheat cultivar Jing4841 with multiple fertile tillers was performed in order to map the fertile tiller inhibition gene (ftin). The F₁ population of the cross between Pubing3558 and Jing4841 showed a normal phenotype similar to that of the parent Jing4841. The F₂ population segregated with a 3:1 Mendelian ratio in 2-year replicates, which was further proven by the segregation ratio of the F₃ population. Genetic analysis uncovered that the fertile tiller inhibition trait in Pubing3558 is controlled by a single recessive gene. Using bulked segregant analysis methods, we located the ftin gene on wheat chromosome 1AS, which is linked closely to markers Xcfa2153 at a genetic distance of 1.0 cM. A combination of phenotype tests and genetic mapping demonstrated that the ftin gene is a newly identified gene in wheat. Overall, our results suggest that Pubing3558 will be valuable genetic source for studying the biological process of fertile tiller formation.     

极端天气陆地河流面源污染对珠江河口叶绿素分布的影响——评价方法构建与应用

近十年来,随着我国粤港澳大湾区的建设,珠江流域人口增长十分迅速,食品和能源需求急剧增加,导致流域上游省份农业用地面积增加,下游省份城市化进程加速,随之导致含农业化肥的农田灌溉用水和生活污水排放大幅度增加。流域的面源污染物进入珠江河口,导致河口海域赤潮发生频率明显增高。此外,全球变暖加剧了南海和西太台风等极端天气事件的发生频率,大量的台风在珠江口附近登陆,对人类活动产生的营养盐在海水中再分布产生较大影响。现场及卫星观测表明,台风等极端天气影响浮游植物时空分布的4个主要影响因子为：海水的垂直混合、流域的降水增加、河流淡水及营养盐的大量输入及风场变化。但是,尚未对这些因子如何影响叶绿素分布进行过清晰阐释。研究构建了粤港澳大湾区陆海气集成模拟系统,一方面通过控制实验来对模式敏感性进行测试,另一方面以台风“天鸽”过境珠江口为例,来对台风过境期间海表叶绿素时空变化机理进行探究。结果表明,陆地模式径流分辨率的提高对模拟结果有很大影响,台风“天鸽”过境时,向岸的风抑制了珠江冲淡水排出,促进外海水涌入,提高海表盐度,降低叶绿素浓度。而台风所致的陆地降水在过境后四天(8月27日)通过径流输出至河口,此次剧...