RfaH suppresses small RNA MicA inhibition of fimB expression in Escherichia coli K-12.

The phase variation (reversible on-off switching) of the type 1 fimbrial adhesin of Escherichia coli involves a DNA inversion catalyzed by FimB (switching in either direction) or FimE (on-to-off switching). Here, we demonstrate that RfaH activates expression of a FimB-LacZ protein fusion while having a modest inhibitory effect on a comparable fimB-lacZ operon construct and on a FimE-LacZ protein fusion, indicating that RfaH selectively controls fimB expression at the posttranscriptional level. Further work demonstrates that loss of RfaH enables small RNA (sRNA) MicA inhibition of fimB expression even in the absence of exogenous inducing stress.

Inhibition of collagen XVI expression reduces glioma cell invasiveness.

Glioblastomas are characterized by an intense local invasiveness that limits surgical resection. One mechanism by which glioma cells enforce their migration into brain tissue is reorganization of tumour associated extracellular matrix (ECM). Collagen XVI is a minor component of connective tissues.

Oxytocin reduces anxiety via ERK1/2 activation: local effect within the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus.

The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) modulates social behaviours and is an important anxiolytic substance of the brain. However, sites of action and the intracellular signalling pathways downstream of OT receptors (OTR) within the brain remain largely unknown. In the present studies, we localized the anxiolytic effect of OT by bilateral microinfusion of OT (0.