Identification of novel cancer fusion genes using chromosome breakpoint screening.

Gene fusion due to rearrangement or translocation of chromosomes is a powerful mutational mechanism during tumorigenesis. Several new high-resolution technologies have recently been developed to evaluate large numbers of small aberrations as candidate loci for fusion gene screening. In our previous whole-genome screening study using 500K SNP arrays, we identified more than 700 homozygous deletions (HDs) and amplicons in 23 cancer cell lines. To explore novel fusion genes in cancer, we established stringent criteria for defining HD and amplicon breakpoints. Then genomic PCR and sequencing analyses identified a fusion gene, FNDC3B-PRKCI, that resulted from chromosome intra-rearrangement. Western blotting and 3'-RACE analyses revealed that the chimeric transcript was an in-frame fusion between FNDC3B and PRKCI. Finally, cell migration and colony formation assays suggested that FNDC3B-PRKCI is a potential oncogene.

Using silane coupling agents to prepare raspberry-shaped polyaniline hollow microspheres with tunable nanoshell thickness.

In this paper, we present the facile preparation of polyaniline (PANI) hollow spheres by using a silane coupling agent, N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl]aniline (PAPTMS), as a precursor. The PANI hollow spheres exhibit tunable shell thickness. PAPTMS was used to prepare aniline-modified silica microparticles, ~550 nm in diameter, by the Stöber process. PANI-coated silica core-shell microcapsules (SiO(2)@PANI) were subsequently obtained by performing chemically oxidative polymerization of a specific aniline monomer loading in the presence of the core-shell particles. PANI hollow spheres with tunable PANI shell thicknesses were eventually obtained by immersing the as-prepared core-shell particles in 5 wt% HF aqueous solutions to simultaneously remove the silica cores and further dope the PANI shells. The as-prepared core-shell particles and PANI hollow spheres were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and (29)Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. The surface morphologies of the core-shell particles and PANI hollow spheres were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrical conductivities and optical absorption spectra of the as-prepared core-shell microparticles and the PANI hollow spheres were measured using the standard four-point probe method and ultraviolet-visual (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy, respectively.