Observation of Parametric Instability in Advanced LIGO.

Parametric instabilities have long been studied as a potentially limiting effect in high-power interferometric gravitational wave detectors. Until now, however, these instabilities have never been observed in a kilometer-scale interferometer. In this Letter, we describe the first observation of parametric instability in a gravitational wave detector, and the means by which it has been removed as a barrier to progress.

Backscatter tolerant squeezed light source for advanced gravitational-wave detectors.

We report on the performance of a dual-wavelength resonant, traveling-wave optical parametric oscillator to generate squeezed light for application in advanced gravitational-wave interferometers. Shot noise suppression of 8.6±0.8 dB was measured across the detection band of interest to Advanced LIGO, and controlled squeezing measured over 5900 s. Our results also demonstrate that the traveling-wave design has excellent intracavity backscattered light suppression of 47 dB and incident backscattered light suppression of 41 dB, which is a crucial design issue for application in advanced interferometers.

Approaching the motional ground state of a 10-kg object.

The motion of a mechanical object, even a human-sized object, should be governed by the rules of quantum mechanics. Coaxing them into a quantum state is, however, difficult because the thermal environment masks any quantum signature of the object's motion. The thermal environment also masks the effects of proposed modifications of quantum mechanics at large mass scales. We prepared the center-of-mass motion of a 10-kilogram mechanical oscillator in a state with an average phonon occupation of 10.8. The reduction in temperature, from room temperature to 77 nanokelvin, is commensurate with an 11 orders-of-magnitude suppression of quantum back-action by feedback and a 13 orders-of-magnitude increase in the mass of an object prepared close to its motional ground state. Our approach will enable the possibility of probing gravity on massive quantum systems.

Identification of novel focal adhesion kinase substrates: role for FAK in NFκB signaling.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a major signaling molecule which functions downstream of integrins or in conjunction with mitogenic signaling pathways. FAK is overexpressed and/or activated in many types of human tumors, in which it promotes cell adhesion, survival, migration and invasion. In addition to FAK's ability to regulate signaling through its scaffolding activities, FAK encodes an intrinsic kinase activity. Although some FAK substrates have been identified, a more comprehensive analysis of substrates is lacking. In this study, we use a protein microarray to screen the human proteome for FAK substrates. We confirm that several of the proteins identified are bona fide in vitro FAK substrates, including several factors which are known to regulate the NFκB pathway. Finally, we identify a role for FAK's kinase activity in both canonical and non-canonical NFκB signaling. Our screen therefore represents the first high throughput screen for FAK substrates and provides the basis for future in-depth analysis of the role of FAK's kinase activity in the processes of tumorigenesis.

Cross-Phosphorylation and Interaction between Src/FAK and MAPKAP5/PRAK in Early Focal Adhesions Controls Cell Motility.

P38-regulated and activated kinase (PRAK/MAPKAPK5) is a serine/threonine kinase which lies downstream of the p38 and ERK3/4 MAP kinase pathways. PRAK plays diverse roles in the processes of cell growth, nutrient starvation response, programmed cell death, senescence and motility. PRAK has been shown to both promote and inhibit cell motility in different contexts. The pro-motility functions of PRAK are attributed mainly to cytoskeletal rearrangement occurring downstream of its phosphorylated substrate HSP27; however, it was recently shown that PRAK is required for motility in endothelial cells upstream of Focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Along with Src, FAK functions as a mediator of motility signaling through the phosphorylation of substrates in focal adhesions. Here, we show that PRAK, initially identified as a FAK substrate in an in situ/ kinase overlay assay, is a Src substrate, the phosphorylation of which directs PRAK to focal adhesions. Focal adhesion localization of PRAK was not found to affect cell motility, however transient over expression of PRAK inhibited motility in HeLa cells. This effect requires PRAK kinase activity and proceeds through an impairment of FAK activation via phosphorylation on Y861. Our studies demonstrate for the first time that PRAK is regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation, localizes to focal adhesions, and interacts physically with and can phosphorylate FAK/Src. Further we provide a novel mechanism for the inhibition of motility downstream of PRAK.