Cytogenetic and molecular identification of small-segment chromosome translocation lines from wheat-rye substitution lines to create wheat germplasm with beneficial traits.

Intergeneric crop plant hybrid lines with small-segment chromosome translocations are very useful in plant genetic research and breeding. In this study, to create small-segment chromosome translocations with beneficial agronomic characters, the progeny of wheat-rye substitution lines 5R/5A and 6R/6A were selected from generations F2 to F5 for rye-specific characteristics. A PCR primer and specific simple sequence repeat marker for rye were used in F5 populations to detect rye chromatin and to amplify a specific chromosome band in six translocation lines (06-6-5, 06-6-6, 06-6-9, 6-26-1, 7-23, and 7-33). Fragment pSc119.1 cloned from 7-33 had 99% homology with the big ear gene sequence (GenBank AF512607.1) in wheat. The six lines were further characterized via pollen mother cell meiosis analysis for genetic stability, and chromosome C-banding and genomic in situ hybridization for rye chromatin. The results show that line 7-33 was still within the 5R/5A substitution lines and possessed the big ear gene. The other lines all contained small-segment rye chromosome translocations. The results indicated that substitution line hybridization is an effective method for creating small-segment chromosome translocations with useful agronomic traits. Trials for these six wheat-rye translocation lines are justified because they possess many important stably-inherited agronomic characters, including disease resistance and improved yield.

Overexpression of ST3Gal-I promotes migration and invasion of HCCLM3 in vitro and poor prognosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Excessive ST3Gal-I levels predict a poor outcome for patients with several types of tumors. This study aims to investigate the role of ST3Gal-I in determining the invasive and metastatic potential of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and clinical prognosis for patients with HCC. METHODS: We compared the expression of ST3Gal-I in various HCC cell lines and in 20 pairs of tumor and peritumor tissue samples using Western blot analysis. Changes in the degree of invasiveness and migration were determined before and after small interfering RNA-induced knockdown of ST3Gal-I using a Transwell matrigel invasion assay and scratch wound assay. The correlation between ST3Gal-I expression and prognosis was determined in a large HCC patient cohort (n=273). RESULTS: ST3Gal-I expression was higher in metastatic HCCLM3 cells and tumor tissue compared with normal adjacent tissue. Following the ST3Gal-I knockdown, the invasiveness and migration of HCCLM3 cells were markedly reduced. ST3Gal-I expression in HCC correlated closely with tumor thrombus (P<0.001), tumor size (>5.0 cm, P=0.032), tumor node metastasis stages II-III (P=0.002), and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stages B-C (P<0.001). Cox regression analysis demonstrated that ST3Gal-I is an independent predictor of prognosis in patients with HCC, and related to disease-free survival (hazard ratio =1.464, P=0.037) and overall survival (hazard ratio =1.662, P=0.012). CONCLUSION: ST3Gal-I might contribute to the invasiveness and metastatic nature of HCC and, thus, could be an independent predictor of recurrence and a suitable pharmaceutical target in patients with HCC.