Depletion of the non-coding regulatory 6S RNA in E. coli causes a surprising reduction in the expression of the translation machinery

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>6S RNA from <it>E. coli </it>is known to bind to RNA polymerase interfering with transcription initiation. Because 6S RNA concentrations are maximal at stationary phase and binding occurs preferentially to the holoenzyme associated with σ⁷⁰(Eσ⁷⁰) it is believed that 6S RNA supports adjustment to stationary phase transcription. Previous studies have also suggested that inhibition is specific for σ⁷⁰-dependent promoters characterized by a weak -35 recognition motif or extended -10 promoters. There are many exceptions to this precept, showing that other types of promoters, including stationary phase-specific (σ³⁸-dependent) promoters are inhibited.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To solve this apparent ambiguity and to better understand the role of 6S RNA in stationary phase transition we have performed a genome-wide transcriptional analysis of wild-type and 6S RNA deficient cells growing to mid-log or early stationary phase. We found 245 genes at the exponential growth phase and 273 genes at the early stationary phase to be ≥ 1.5-fold differentially expressed. Up- and down-regulated genes include many transcriptional regulators, stress-related proteins, transporters and several enzymes involved in purine metabolism. As the most striking result during stationary phase, however, we obtained in the 6S RNA deficient strain a concerted expression reduction of genes constituting the translational apparatus. In accordance, primer extension analysis showed that transcription of ribosomal RNAs, representing the key molecules for ribosome biogenesis, is also significantly reduced under the same conditions. Consistent with this finding biochemical analysis of the 6S RNA deficient strain indicates that the lack of 6S RNA is apparently compensated by an increase of the basal ppGpp concentration, known to affect growth adaptation and ribosome biogenesis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The analysis demonstrated that the effect of 6S RNA on transcription is not strictly confined to σ⁷⁰-dependent promoters. Moreover, the results indicate that 6S RNA is embedded in stationary phase adaptation, which is governed by the capacity of the translational machinery.</p

Transcranial direct current stimulation of the prefrontal cortex modulates working memory performance: combined behavioural and electrophysiological evidence

The present study demonstrates that tDCS can alter WM performance by modulating the underlying neural oscillations. This result can be considered an important step towards a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in tDCS-induced modulations of WM performance, which is of particular importance, given the proposal to use electrical brain stimulation for the therapeutic treatment of memory deficits in clinical settings

Quantum Spacetime Phenomenology

I review the current status of phenomenological programs inspired by quantum-spacetime research. I stress in particular the significance of results establishing that certain data analyses provide sensitivity to effects introduced genuinely at the Planck scale. And my main focus is on phenomenological programs that managed to affect the directions taken by studies of quantum-spacetime theories.Comment: 125 pages, LaTex. This V2 is updated and more detailed than the V1, particularly for quantum-spacetime phenomenology. The main text of this V2 is about 25% more than the main text of the V1. Reference list roughly double

Experimentelle Untersuchung zur Mikrostrukturierung von dünnen Metallschichten mit hochrepetierender Ultrakurz-puls-Laserstrahlung

Um die Vorteile eines hochrepetierenden Ultrakurzpulslasers zur Strukturierung von dünnen Metallschichten nutzten zu können, sind Kenntnisse über den Einfluss der verschiedenen Parameter notwendig. Deshalb wurden der Einfluss des Pulsabstands, der Frequenz und des Linienabstands, auf das Ablationsverhalten von dünnen Metallschichten untersucht. Es wurden die Schichtmaterialien Chrom, Aluminium, Kupfer und Titan aus-gewählt, deren Schichtdicken sich in einem Bereich von 0,02 μm bis 0,5 μm bewegen. Die Untersuchungen der Einflussnahme des Pulsabstandes wurden bei einer Frequenz von 32 kHz durchgeführt. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass sich die Spurbreite bei kleiner werdendem Pulsabstand, bei fast allen Schichtmaterialien vergrößerte. Belegt wurde dabei, dass bei dieser Frequenz nicht bei allen Schichten ein sauberer Abtrag, bis auf das Substrat, realisiert werden konnte. Dazu wurde als nächstes die Frequenz variiert. Es konnte festgestellt werden, dass bei Erhöhung der Frequenz, die Spurbreite nur bei Aluminium und Kupfer, merklich zunahm. Dabei zeigte sich, dass bei Chrom, mit höheren Frequenzen als 200 kHz, sich Risse im Substrat bilden. Anschließend wurden mit geeigneten Pa-rametern die Auswirkungen des Linienabstandes untersucht. Dabei konnte festgestellt werden, dass der Abstand zwischen zwei Linien sich nicht auf die Breite der Einzellinie auswirkt. Die Flächenabtragsrate war bei Titan am größten, was auf die sehr geringe Schichtdicke und der geringen Wärmeleitung von Titan zurückzuführen ist

Measurement of electrostatic tip–sample interactions by time-domain Kelvin probe force microscopy

Kelvin probe force microscopy is a scanning probe technique used to quantify the local electrostatic potential of a surface. In common implementations, the bias voltage between the tip and the sample is modulated. The resulting electrostatic force or force gradient is detected via lock-in techniques and canceled by adjusting the dc component of the tip–sample bias. This allows for an electrostatic characterization and simultaneously minimizes the electrostatic influence onto the topography measurement. However, a static contribution due to the bias modulation itself remains uncompensated, which can induce topographic height errors. Here, we demonstrate an alternative approach to find the surface potential without lock-in detection. Our method operates directly on the frequency-shift signal measured in frequency-modulated atomic force microscopy and continuously estimates the electrostatic influence due to the applied voltage modulation. This results in a continuous measurement of the local surface potential, the capacitance gradient, and the frequency shift induced by surface topography. In contrast to conventional techniques, the detection of the topography-induced frequency shift enables the compensation of all electrostatic influences, including the component arising from the bias modulation. This constitutes an important improvement over conventional techniques and paves the way for more reliable and accurate measurements of electrostatics and topography.ISSN:2190-428

Length-extension resonator as a force sensor for high-resolution frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy in air

Frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy has turned into a well-established method to obtain atomic resolution on flat surfaces, but is often limited to ultra-high vacuum conditions and cryogenic temperatures. Measurements under ambient conditions are influenced by variations of the dew point and thin water layers present on practically every surface, complicating stable imaging with high resolution. We demonstrate high-resolution imaging in air using a length-extension resonator operating at small amplitudes. An additional slow feedback compensates for changes in the free resonance frequency, allowing stable imaging over a long period of time with changing environmental conditions.ISSN:2190-428

Combined scanning probe electronic and thermal characterization of an indium arsenide nanowire

As electronic devices are downsized, physical processes at the interface to electrodes may dominate and limit device performance. A crucial step towards device optimization is being able to separate such contact effects from intrinsic device properties. Likewise, an increased local temperature due to Joule heating at contacts and the formation of hot spots may put limits on device integration. Therefore, being able to observe profiles of both electronic and thermal device properties at the nanoscale is important. Here, we show measurements by scanning thermal and Kelvin probe force microscopy of the same 60 nm diameter indium arsenide nanowire in operation. The observed temperature along the wire is substantially elevated near the contacts and deviates from the bell-shaped temperature profile one would expect from homogeneous heating. Voltage profiles acquired by Kelvin probe force microscopy not only allow us to determine the electrical nanowire conductivity, but also to identify and quantify sizable and non-linear contact resistances at the buried nanowire–electrode interfaces. Complementing these data with thermal measurements, we obtain a device model further permitting separate extraction of the local thermal nanowire and interface conductivities