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The microRNA miR172 is involved in various developmental processes in plants. Tang et al. (on pp. 2549–2563) characterized the function of miR172 in leaf morphology, flowering induction, floral organ specification, and fruit and seed morphologies in the perennial biofuel plant Jatropha curcas, and found a novel function of J. curcas miR172 (JcmiR172) in the regulation of stem components by manipulating the expression of cellulose and lignin biosynthesis genes.
The cover image shows cross sections of stems from 2-month-old seedlings of wild-type (upper) and JcmiR172a-transgenic Jatropha plants (lower). Transgenic Jatropha plants have a thinner, but harder stem, with enhanced xylem development and reduced phloem and pith development. Image supplied by M. Tang and Z.-F. Xu (Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences).
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