We show that miR-1, a conserved muscle-specific microRNA, regulates aspects of both pre- and postsynaptic function at C. elegans neuromuscular junctions. miR-1 regulates the expression level of two nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits (UNC-29 and UNC-63), thereby altering muscle sensitivity to acetylcholine (ACh). miR-1 also regulates the muscle transcription factor MEF-2, which results in altered presynaptic ACh secretion, suggesting that MEF-2 activity in muscles controls a retrograde signal. The effect of the MEF-2-dependent retrograde signal on secretion is mediated by the synaptic vesicle protein RAB-3. Finally, acute activation of levamisole-sensitive nAChRs stimulates MEF-2-dependent transcriptional responses and induces the MEF-2-dependent retrograde signal. We propose that miR-1 refines synaptic function by coupling changes in muscle activity to changes in presynaptic function.

Highlights d Piezo cell autonomously inhibits axon regeneration in Drosophila sensory neurons d Piezo channels are activated after axon injury or during axon regeneration d Piezo inhibits axon regeneration through calcium signaling, Nos, and PKG d Piezo1 also inhibits axon regeneration in mammals in vitro and in vivo

Branching morphogenesis is a fundamental program for tissue patterning. We show that active YAP, a key mediator of Hippo signaling, is distributed throughout the murine lung epithelium and loss of epithelial YAP severely disrupts branching. Failure to branch is restricted to regions where YAP activity is removed. This suggests that YAP controls local epithelial cell properties. In support of this model, mechanical force production is compromised and cell proliferation is reduced in Yap mutant lungs. We propose that defective force generation and insufficient epithelial cell number underlie the branching defects. Through genomic analysis, we also uncovered a feedback control of pMLC levels, which is critical for mechanical force production, likely through the direct induction of multiple regulators by YAP. Our work provides a molecular pathway that could control epithelial cell properties required for proper morphogenetic movement and pattern formation.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21130.001