Selective Area Growth of Josephson Junctions in Ladder-Like Structures of Bismuth Islands.

A distinguishing characteristic of Josephson junctions (JJs) is their nonlinear current-voltage response, which fulfills the requirements for superconducting quantum computing. Achieving atomically sharp interfaces between superconductors and weak links in JJs can realize the superconductivity proximity effect, advancing the investigation of intrinsic properties in unconventional superconductors and their potential applications. Here, a contamination-free approach to fabricating planar JJs using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is presented.

Cis-dimerization mediates function of junctional adhesion molecule A.

Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) is a transmembrane component of tight junctions that has been proposed to play a role in regulating epithelial cell adhesion and migration, yet mechanistic structure-function studies are lacking. Although biochemical and structural studies indicate that JAM-A forms cis-homodimers, the functional significance of dimerization is unclear. Here, we report the effects of cis-dimerization-defective JAM-A mutants on epithelial cell migration and adhesion.