MicroRNAs Act as Cofactors in Bicoid-Mediated Translational Repression

SummaryNoncoding RNAs have recently emerged as important regulators of mRNA translation and turnover [1, 2]. Nevertheless, we largely ignore how their function integrates with protein-mediated translational regulation. We focus on Bicoid, a key patterning molecule in Drosophila, which inhibits the translation of caudal in the anterior part of the embryo [3, 4]. Previous work showed that Bicoid recruits the cap-binding protein d4EHP on the caudal mRNA to repress translation [5]. Here we show that miR-2 family microRNAs are essential cofactors in the repression of caudal. Using an in vivo sensor, we demonstrate that Bicoid acts through a 63 nt response element in the caudal 3′ UTR that includes a single miR-2 target site. Mutating that site abolishes Bicoid-mediated repression, and this effect can be partly reversed by expressing a microRNA with compensatory changes that restore binding to the mutated target. Four predicted Bicoid splice isoforms are capable of caudal repression, including two that lack the d4EHP interaction domain; all four isoforms require the microRNA target for repression. The synergy between Bicoid and microRNAs appears to have evolved recently in the context of the drosophilid caudal BRE. The discovery that microRNAs play an essential role in Bicoid-mediated translational repression opens up new perspectives on Bicoid’s function and evolution

Influence of strain on magnetization and magnetoelectric effect in La0.7A0.3MnO3 / PMN-PT(001) (A = Sr; Ca)

We investigate the influence of a well-defined reversible biaxial strain <=0.12 % on the magnetization (M) of epitaxial ferromagnetic manganite films. M has been recorded depending on temperature, strain and magnetic field in 20 - 50 nm thick films. This is accomplished by reversibly compressing the isotropic in-plane lattice parameter of the rhombohedral piezoelectric 0.72PMN-0.28PT (001) substrates by application of an electric field E <= 12 kV cm-1. The magnitude of the total variable in-plane strain has been derived. Strain-induced shifts of the ferromagnetic Curie temperature (Tc) of up to 19 K were found in La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) and La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 films and are quantitatively analysed for LSMO within a cubic model. The observed large magnetoelectric coupling coefficient alpha=mu0 dM/dE <= 6 10-8 s m-1 at ambient temperature results from the strain-induced M change in the magnetic-film-ferroelectric-substrate system. It corresponds to an enhancement of mu0 DeltaM <= 19 mT upon biaxial compression of 0.1 %. The extraordinary large alpha originates from the combination of three crucial properties: (i) the strong strain dependence of M in the ferromagnetic manganites, (ii) large piezo-strain of the PMN-PT substrates and (iii) effective elastic coupling at the film-substrate interface.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, 1 tabl

A Loading Device for Fracture Testing of Compact Tension Specimens in the Scanning Electron Microscope

A loading device for performing fracture experiments on compact tension specimens in the SEM has been designed. Its key elements are a piezoelectric translator for applying controlled displacements to the loading points on the specimen and a load cell to measure applied loads. The effective transmission of displacement from the piezoelectric driver to the specimen was found to be the major mechanical design problem. The peripheral equipment includes a function generator and a high voltage amplifier that drives the piezoelectric translator as well as a video overlay and standard video equipment to record the image continuously during the course of the experiment. A case study on alumina describes qualitative observations on the toughening mechanism, crack-interface bridging, operating in this material. Quantitative information pertaining to the closure stresses associated with this toughening mode can be obtained by measuring the crack profile

Can an Electric Field Induce an Antiferroelectric Phase Out of a Ferroelectric Phase?

It has been widely accepted that electric fields favor the ferroelectric phase with parallel electric dipoles over the antiferroelectric phase. With detailed measurements in polycrystalline ceramics of Pb(0.99)Nb(0.02)[(Zr(0.57)Sn(0.43))(1-y)Ti(y)](0.98)O(3), we demonstrate in this Letter that electric fields can induce an antiferroelectric phase out of a ferroelectric phase, i.e., trigger an apparently unlikely ferroelectric-to-antiferroelectric phase transition. We suggest that it is caused by the volume contraction from the converse piezoelectric effect at the coercive field with a reversed polarity.open211

In situ electric field induced domain evolution in Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-0.3(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3ferroelectrics

In this work, the lead-free Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-0.3(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3piezoelectric ceramic was investigated in situ under an applied electric field by transmission electron microscopy. Significant changes in domain morphology of the studied material have been observed under an applied electric field. During the poling process, the domain configurations disappeared, forming a single-domain state. This multi- to single-domain state transition occurred with the formation of an intermediate nanodomain state. After removing the electric field, domain configurations reappeared. Selected area electron diffraction during electrical poling gave no indication of any structural changes as for example reflection splitting. Rather, a contribution of the extrinsic effect to the piezoelectric response of the Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-0.3(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3was found to be dominant.open2

Effect of uniaxial stress on ferroelectric behavior of (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3-based lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

Prior studies have shown that a field-induced ferroelectricity in ceramics with general chemical formula (1-x-y) (Bi1/2 Na1/2) TiO3 -x BaTiO3 -y (K0.5 Na0.5) NbO3 and a very low remanent strain can produce very large piezoelectric strains. Here we show that both the longitudinal and transverse strains gradually change with applied electric fields even during the transition from the nonferroelectric to the ferroelectric state, in contrast to known Pb-containing antiferroelectrics. Hence, the volume change and, in turn, the phase transition can be affected using uniaxial compressive stresses, and the effect on ferroelectricity can thus be assessed. It is found that the 0.94 (Bi1/2 Na1/2) TiO3 -0.05 BaTiO3 -0.01 (K0.5 Na0.5) NbO3 ceramic (largely ferroelectric), with a rhombohedral R3c symmetry, displays large ferroelectric domains, significant ferroelastic deformation, and large remanent electrical polarizations even at a 250 MPa compressive stress. In comparison, the 0.91 (Bi1/2 Na1/2) TiO3 -0.07 BaTiO3 -0.02 (K0.5 Na0.5) NbO3 ceramic (largely nonferroelectric) possesses characteristics of a relaxor ferroelectric ceramic, including a pseudocubic structure, limited ferroelastic deformation, and low remanent polarization. The results are discussed with respect of the proposed antiferroelectric nature of the nonferroelectric state.open291