ABSTRACT Jatropha curcas is a plant that accumulates high-quality oil in its seeds, which is capable of being transformed into liquid biofuel. However, several aspects of its flowering are still unknown, which is a key step in the production of fruits, seeds, and oil. Flowering is a complex process that is regulated by various factors at the molecular level, including microRNAs (miRNAs). There is evidence suggesting that the miRNAs of the miR156 and miR172 families play a key role in the flowering transition of plants. For this reason, the dynamics of miR156 and miR172 were studied during a production cycle of J. curcas. Our results reveal that J. curcas has a mechanism for the expression of these miRNAs that differs from that reported for the vast... |