Phylogenomic identification of five new human homologs of the DNA repair enzyme AlkB

BACKGROUND: Combination of biochemical and bioinformatic analyses led to the discovery of oxidative demethylation – a novel DNA repair mechanism catalyzed by the Escherichia coli AlkB protein and its two human homologs, hABH2 and hABH3. This discovery was based on the prediction made by Aravind and Koonin that AlkB is a member of the 2OG-Fe(2+ )oxygenase superfamily. RESULTS: In this article, we report identification and sequence analysis of five human members of the (2OG-Fe(2+)) oxygenase superfamily designated here as hABH4 through hABH8. These experimentally uncharacterized and poorly annotated genes were not associated with the AlkB family in any database, but are predicted here to be phylogenetically and functionally related to the AlkB family (and specifically to the lineage that groups together hABH2 and hABH3) rather than to any other oxygenase family. Our analysis reveals the history of ABH gene duplications in the evolution of vertebrate genomes. CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesize that hABH 4–8 could either be back-up enzymes for hABH1-3 or may code for novel DNA or RNA repair activities. For example, enzymes that can dealkylate N3-methylpurines or N7-methylpurines in DNA have not been described. Our analysis will guide experimental confirmation of these novel human putative DNA repair enzymes

Nearly quantized conductance plateau of vortex zero mode in an iron-based superconductor

Majorana zero-modes (MZMs) are spatially-localized zero-energy fractional quasiparticles with non-Abelian braiding statistics that hold a great promise for topological quantum computing. Due to its particle-antiparticle equivalence, an MZM exhibits robust resonant Andreev reflection and 2e2/h quantized conductance at low temperature. By utilizing variable-tunnel-coupled scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we study tunneling conductance of vortex bound states on FeTe0.55Se0.45 superconductors. We report observations of conductance plateaus as a function of tunnel coupling for zero-energy vortex bound states with values close to or even reaching the 2e2/h quantum conductance. In contrast, no such plateau behaviors were observed on either finite energy Caroli-de Genne-Matricon bound states or in the continuum of electronic states outside the superconducting gap. This unique behavior of the zero-mode conductance reaching a plateau strongly supports the existence of MZMs in this iron-based superconductor, which serves as a promising single-material platform for Majorana braiding at a relatively high temperature

Quantum Transport in Topological Phases of Matter

Topological phases of matter attract constant attention in the condensed matter physics community, both due to the fundamental yet simple principles that govern them, and a multitude of experimental observations with the potential for technological applications. Among the ways of studying such materials, quantum transport methods prove to be of particular importance. In this thesis, I touch upon many aspects of quantum transport in topological materials. First, I introduce a novel type of Hall effect, called Magnus Hall effect, that allows one to probe Berry curvature in ballistic, time-reversal invariant systems that break inversion symmetry. Next, I present a detailed characterization of extrinsic Nernst effect in Dirac and Weyl semimetals, providing interpretation of existing experimental results and predictions for new enhanced responses in materials such as Fe3Sn2. In the following section, I demonstrate that a strong disorder can lead to a novel behavior of Dirac fermions in surface states of topological crystalline insulators, resulting in appearance of nodal arcs in place of Dirac points and in tilting of the Dirac cone. In the second part of the thesis, I focus on topological superconductors, starting by presenting a new method for creating Majorana zero modes using segmented Fermi surface. This approach, based on the Fermi surface of Bogoliubov quasiparticles allows for the reduction of the magnetic field required to induce a topological phase transition and reduces the number of spurious, low energy modes that hamper observation and utilization of Majorana zero modes. Finally, I show that the presence of multiple Majorana modes in a strongly correlated superconducting island leads to Kondo-like behavior with a topological twist.Ph.D

Návrh nízkonákladového řešení regulační a ovládací jednotky pro akvária a terária

Bachelor's thesis is focused on a design of a low-cost regulation and control unit for aquariums and terrariums. Initial part examines demands of animals on the environment and possibilities of suitable technologies for aquariums and terrariums. A suitable low-cost technology for the regulation unit is selected. Practical part aims on the design and construction of the control unit system. It is capable of monitoring or regulating, among other things, temperature, pH, water level or lighting. Mobile and web applications are designed and implemented. The system allows a user to oversee the state of the environment and regulate it remotely

Magnus Hall Effect

© 2019 American Physical Society. A new type of a linear response Hall effect is predicted in time-reversal-invariant systems with a built-in electric field at zero magnetic field. The Hall response results from a quantum Magnus effect where a self-rotating Bloch electron wave packet moving under an electric field develops an anomalous velocity in the transverse direction. We show that in the ballistic limit the Magnus Hall conductance measures the distribution of the Berry curvature on the Fermi surface.Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (Award DE-SC0018945

Direct determination of the zero-field splitting for a single

When a Co²⁺ impurity is embedded in a semiconductor structure, crystal strain strongly influences the zero-field splitting between Co²⁺ states with spin projection S_{z}=±3/2 and S_{z}=±1/2. Experimental evidence of this effect has been given in previous studies; however, direct measurement of the strain-induced zero-field splitting has been inaccessible so far. Here this splitting is determined thanks to magneto-optical studies of an individual Co²⁺ ion in an epitaxial CdTe quantum dot in a ZnTe barrier. Using partially allowed optical transitions, we measure the strain-induced zero-field splitting of the Co²⁺ ion directly in the excitonic photoluminescence spectrum. Moreover, by observation of anticrossing of S[subscript z]= ±3/2 and S[subscript z] =−1/2 Co²⁺ spin states in a magnetic field, we determine the axial and in-plane components of the crystal field acting on the Co²⁺ The proposed technique can be applied to optical determination of the zero-field splitting of other transition-metal ions in quantum dots