Haruhiko Bito

TL;DR: It is revealed that a widespread mechanism of enhancer activation involves RNAPII binding and eRNA synthesis, which occurs specifically at enhancers that are actively engaged in promoting mRNA synthesis.

TL;DR: Two important Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-regulated mechanisms in hippocampal neurons are found: a CaM kinase cascade involving nuclear CaMKIV and a calcineurin-dependent regulation of nuclear protein phosphatase 1 activity.

TL;DR: It is found that Ca(2+)-dependent nuclear CREB phosphorylation was rapidly evoked by synaptic stimuli including, but not limited to, those that induced potentiation and depression of synaptic strength.

TL;DR: It is found that the hippocampal-dependent learning of new paired associates is associated with a striking up-regulation of immediate early genes in the prelimbic region of the medial prefrontal cortex, and that pharmacological interventions targeted at that area can prevent both new learning and the recall of remotely and even recently consolidated information.

TL;DR: It is shown that p160ROCK activation is necessary and sufficient for the agonist-induced neurite retraction and cell rounding, and Rho/ROCK-dependent tonic inhibition of cell process extension is exerted via activation of the actomysin-based contractility, in conjunction with a suppression of assembly of intermediate filaments and microtubules in many cell types including, but not exclusive to, neuronal cells.