397 research outputs found
Hypothesis - buttressed rings assemble, clamp, and release SNAREpins for synaptic transmission
Neural networks are optimized to detect temporal coincidence on the millisecond timescale. Here, we offer a synthetic hypothesis based on recent structural insights into SNAREs and the C2 domain proteins to explain how synaptic transmission can keep this pace. We suggest that an outer ring of up to six curved Munc13 ‘MUN’ domains transiently anchored to the plasma membrane via its flanking domains surrounds a stable inner ring comprised of synaptotagmin C2 domains to serve as a work-bench on which SNAREpins are templated. This ‘buttressed-ring hypothesis’ affords straightforward answers to many principal and long-standing questions concerning how SNAREpins can be assembled, clamped, and then released synchronously with an action potential
Modeling of Plasma Dynamics and EUV Generation for Distributed Sn Targets Irradiated with Short Laser Pulses
Symmetrical arrangement of proteins under release-ready vesicles in presynaptic terminals
Controlled release of neurotransmitters stored in synaptic vesicles (SVs) is a fundamental process that is central to all information processing in the brain. This relies on tight coupling of the SV fusion to action potential-evoked presynaptic Ca2+ influx. This Ca2+-evoked release occurs from a readily releasable pool (RRP) of SVs docked to the plasma membrane (PM). The protein components involved in initial SV docking/tethering and the subsequent priming reactions which make the SV release ready are known. Yet, the supramolecular architecture and sequence of molecular events underlying SV release are unclear. Here, we use cryoelectron tomography analysis in cultured hippocampal neurons to delineate the arrangement of the exocytosis machinery under docked SVs. Under native conditions, we find that vesicles are initially "tethered" to the PM by a variable number of protein densities (∼10 to 20 nm long) with no discernible organization. In contrast, we observe exactly six protein masses, each likely consisting of a single SNAREpin with its bound Synaptotagmins and Complexin, arranged symmetrically connecting the "primed" vesicles to the PM. Our data indicate that the fusion machinery is likely organized into a highly cooperative framework during the priming process which enables rapid SV fusion and neurotransmitter release following Ca2+ influx
Linear and nonlinear optical responses in the chiral multifold semimetal RhSi
Chiral topological semimetals are materials that break both inversion and
mirror symmetries. They host interesting phenomena such as the quantized
circular photogalvanic effect (CPGE) and the chiral magnetic effect. In this
work, we report a comprehensive theoretical and experimental analysis of the
linear and non-linear optical responses of the chiral topological semimetal
RhSi, which is known to host multifold fermions. We show that the
characteristic features of the optical conductivity, which display two distinct
quasi-linear regimes above and below 0.4 eV, can be linked to excitations of
different kinds of multifold fermions. The characteristic features of the CPGE,
which displays a sign change at 0.4 eV and a large non-quantized response peak
of around 160 at 0.7 eV, are explained by assuming that
the chemical potential crosses a flat hole band at the Brillouin zone center.
Our theory predicts that, in order to observe a quantized CPGE in RhSi, it is
necessary to increase the chemical potential as well as the quasiparticle
lifetime. More broadly our methodology, especially the development of the
broadband terahertz emission spectroscopy, could be widely applied to study
photo-galvanic effects in noncentrosymmetric materials and in topological
insulators in a contact-less way and accelerate the technological development
of efficient infrared detectors based on topological semimetals.Comment: Accepted in npj Quantum Materials; Abstract update
Second-harmonic generation in the topological multifold semimetal RhSi
Recent experiments in the topological Weyl semimetal TaAs have observed record-breaking second-harmonic generation (SHG), a nonlinear optical response at 2? generated by an incoming light source at ?. However, whether SHG is enhanced in topological semimetals in general is a challenging open question because their band structure entangles the contributions arising from trivial bands and topological band crossings. In this work, we circumvent this problem by studying RhSi, a chiral topological semimetal with a simple band structure with topological multifold fermions close to the Fermi energy. We measure SHG in a wide frequency window, ? [0.27,1.5]eV and, using first-principles calculations, we establish that, due to their linear dispersion, the contribution of multifold fermions to SHG is subdominant as compared with other regions in the Brillouin zone. Our calculations suggest that parts of the bands where the dispersion is relatively flat contribute significantly to SHG. As a whole, our results suggest avenues to enhance SHG responses. © 2022 authors. Published by the American Physical Society. Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI. Open access publication funded by the Max Planck Society
Exceedingly facile Ph−X activation (X=Cl, Br, I) with ruthenium(II) : Arresting kinetics, autocatalysis, and mechanisms
The ICIQ Foundation and The Spanish Government (Grant CTQ2011-25418 and the Severo Ochoa Excellence Accreditation 2014-2018 SEV-2013-0319) are thankfully acknowledged for support of this work. F.M.M. is grateful to the Government of Spain (MICINN) for the FPI Ph.D. Scholarship (BES-2012-054922). S.A.M. and D.M. thank the EPSRC for support through award EP/J010677/1.[(Ph3P)3Ru(L)(H)2] (where L=H2 (1) in the presence of styrene, Ph3P (3), and N2 (4)) cleave the Ph[BOND]X bond (X=Cl, Br, I) at RT to give [(Ph3P)3RuH(X)] (2) and PhH. A combined experimental and DFT study points to [(Ph3P)3Ru(H)2] as the reactive species generated upon spontaneous loss of L from 3 and 4. The reaction of 3 with excess PhI displays striking kinetics which initially appears zeroth order in Ru. However mechanistic studies reveal that this is due to autocatalysis comprising two factors: 1) complex 2, originating from the initial PhI activation with 3, is roughly as reactive toward PhI as 3 itself; and 2) the Ph[BOND]I bond cleavage with the just-produced 2 gives rise to [(Ph3P)2RuI2], which quickly comproportionates with the still-present 3 to recover 2. Both the initial and onward activation reactions involve PPh3 dissociation, PhI coordination to Ru through I, rearrangement to a η2-PhI intermediate, and Ph[BOND]I oxidative addition.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe
Giant topological longitudinal circular photo-galvanic effect in the chiral multifold semimetal CoSi
The absence of mirror symmetry, or chirality, is behind striking natural
phenomena found in systems as diverse as DNA and crystalline solids. A
remarkable example occurs when chiral semimetals with topologically protected
band degeneracies are illuminated with circularly polarized light. Under the
right conditions, the part of the generated photocurrent that switches sign
upon reversal of the light's polarization, known as the circular photogalvanic
effect, is predicted to depend only on fundamental constants. The conditions to
observe quantization are non-universal, and depend on material parameters and
the incident frequency. In this work, we perform terahertz emission
spectroscopy with tunable photon energy from 0.2 eV - 1.1 eV in the chiral
topological semimetal CoSi. We identify a large longitudinal photocurrent
peaked at 0.4 eV reaching 550 , which is much larger than
the photocurrent in any chiral crystal reported in the literature. Using
first-principles calculations we establish that the peak originates from
topological band crossings, reaching 3.30.3 in units of the quantization
constant. Our calculations indicate that the quantized CPGE is within reach in
CoSi upon doping and increase of the hot-carrier lifetime. The large
photo-conductivity suggests that topological semimetals could potentially be
used as novel mid-infrared detectors.Comment: Fig.4 color update
Structural basis for the clamping and Ca²⁺ activation of SNARE-mediated fusion by synaptotagmin
Synapotagmin-1 (Syt1) interacts with both SNARE proteins and lipid membranes to synchronize neurotransmitter release to calcium (Ca2+) influx. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the Syt1–SNARE complex on anionic-lipid containing membranes. Under resting conditions, the Syt1 C2 domains bind the membrane with a magnesium (Mg2+)-mediated partial insertion of the aliphatic loops, alongside weak interactions with the anionic lipid headgroups. The C2B domain concurrently interacts the SNARE bundle via the ‘primary’ interface and is positioned between the SNAREpins and the membrane. In this configuration, Syt1 is projected to sterically delay the complete assembly of the associated SNAREpins and thus, contribute to clamping fusion. This Syt1–SNARE organization is disrupted upon Ca2+-influx as Syt1 reorients into the membrane, likely displacing the attached SNAREpins and reversing the fusion clamp. We thus conclude that the cation (Mg2+/Ca2+) dependent membrane interaction is a key determinant of the dual clamp/activator function of Synaptotagmin-1
Chiral Dynamics in Photo-Pion Physics: Theory, Experiment, and Future Studies at the HIS Facility
A review of photo-pion experiments on the nucleon in the near threshold
region is presented. Comparisons of the results are made with the predictions
of the low energy theorems of QCD calculated using chiral perturbation theory
(ChPT) which is based on the spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry as well as
its explicit breaking due to the finite quark masses. As a result of the
vanishing of the threshold amplitudes in the chiral limit, the experiments are
difficult since the cross sections are small. Nevertheless the field has been
brought to a mature stage of accuracy and sensitivity. The accomplishments and
limitations of past experiments are discussed. Future planned experiments at
Mainz and HIS using polarization observables are discussed as a more
rigorous test of theoretical calculations. Emphasis is given to the technical
developments that are required for the HIS facility. It is shown that
future experiments will provide more accurate tests of ChPT and will be
sensitive to isospin breaking dynamics due to the mass difference of the up and
down quarks.Comment: 61 pages, 10 figures, 2 table
Autonomous Morphogenesis in Self-assembling Robots Using IR-Based Sensing and Local Communications
This paper presents a simple decentralised morphology control mechanism for a swarm of self-assembling robots. Each robot in the system is fully autonomous and controlled using a behaviour-based approach with only infrared-based local sensing and communications. A graph-based recruitment strategy is proposed to guide the growth of 2D planar organisms, and local communications are used to self-organise the behaviours of robots during the morphogenesis process. The effectiveness of the approach has been verified, in simulation, for a diverse set of target structures. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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