Genet Mol Res
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GRAS proteins play vital roles in plant growth and development. Physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) was found to have a total of 48 GRAS family members (JcGRAS), 15 more than those found in Arabidopsis. The JcGRAS genes were divided into 12 subfamilies or 15 ancient monophyletic lineages based on the phylogenetic analysis of GRAS proteins from both flowering and lower plants. ⋯ Based on digital gene expression data, 21 of the 48 genes exhibited differential expression in four tissues analyzed. Two members of subfamily U3 were expressed only in buds and flowers, implying that they may play specific roles. Our results provide valuable resources for future studies on the functions of GRAS proteins in physic nut.
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Previous research has shown that microRNA-141 (miR-141) expression levels are associated with survival in several types of cancer. In the present study, we investigated the clinical significance and prognostic value of miR-141 in gastric cancer. Paired tissue specimens (tumor and adjacent normal mucosa) from 95 patients with gastric cancer were obtained at the Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from March 2009 to February 2014. ⋯ Furthermore, a significant relationship was found between miR-141 expression and overall survival (P = 0.012, log-rank test). Cox regression analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis (P = 0.003), distant metastasis (P = 0.001), TNM stage (P < 0.001), and miR- 141 expression (P = 0.007) were independent prognostic factors in patients with gastric cancer. Our data provide evidence that the downregulation of miR-141 may contribute to the aggressive progression and poor prognosis of human gastric cancer.