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Engineering mono- and multi-valent inhibitors on a modular scaffold.
Here we exploit the simple, ultra-stable, modular architecture of consensus-designed tetratricopeptide repeat proteins (CTPRs) to create a platform capable of displaying both single as well as multiple functions and with diverse programmable geometrical arrangements by grafting non-helical short linear binding motifs (SLiMs) onto the loops between adjacent repeats. As proof of concept, we built synthetic CTPRs to bind and inhibit the human tankyrase proteins (hTNKS), which play a key role in Wnt signaling and are upregulated in cancer. A series of mono-valent and multi-valent hTNKS binders was assembled. To fully exploit the modular scaffold and to further diversify the multi-valent geometry, we engineered the binding modules with two different formats, one monomeric and the other trimeric. We show that the designed proteins are stable, correctly folded and capable of binding to and inhibiting the cellular activity of hTNKS leading to downregulation of the Wnt pathway. Multivalency in both the CTPR protein arrays and the hTNKS target results in the formation of large macromolecular assemblies, which can be visualized both in vitro and in the cell. When delivered into the cell by nanoparticle encapsulation, the multivalent CTPR proteins displayed exceptional activity. They are able to inhibit Wnt signaling where small molecule inhibitors have failed to date. Our results point to the tremendous potential of the CTPR platform to exploit a range of SLiMs and assemble synthetic binding molecules with built-in multivalent capabilities and precise, pre-programmed geometries.BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) scholarship
Oliver Gatty Studentship
AstraZeneca PhD studentship.
UK Medical Research Foundation.
CRUK Pioneer Award (C17838/A22676)
CRUK BTERP Award (C17838/A27225)
Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2014-089)
Cambridge Newton Trust
BBSRC project grant (BB/T002697/1)
Observation of Bs->Ds(*)+Ds(*)- using e+e- collisions and a determination of the Bs-Bsbar width difference \Delta\Gamma_s
We have made the first observation of Bs->Ds(*)+Ds(*)- decays using 23.6 fb-1
of data recorded by the Belle experiment running on the Upsilon(5S) resonance.
The branching fractions are measured to be B(B^0_s\ra D^+_s D^-_s) =
(1.0\,^{+0.4}_{-0.3}\,^{+0.3}_{-0.2})%, B(B^0_s\ra D^{*\pm}_s D^{\mp}_s) =
(2.8\,^{+0.8}_{-0.7}\,\pm 0.7)%, and B(B^0_s\ra D^{*+}_s D^{*-}_s) =
(3.1\,^{+1.2}_{-1.0}\,\pm 0.8)%; the sum is B(B^0_s\ra D^{(*)+}_s D^{(*)-}_s) =
(6.9\,^{+1.5}_{-1.3}\,\pm 1.9)%. Assuming Bs->Ds(*)+Ds(*)- saturates decays to
CP-even final states, the branching fraction determines the ratio
\Delta\Gamma_s/cos(\phi), where \Delta\Gamma_s is the difference in widths
between the two Bs-Bsbar mass eigenstates, and \phi is a CP-violating weak
phase. Taking CP violation to be negligibly small, we obtain
\Delta\Gamma_s/\Gamma_s =
0.147^{+0.036}_{-0.030}(stat.)^{+0.044}_{-0.042}(syst.), where \Gamma_s is the
mean decay width.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables. v2: text added for clarification,
version published in Phys. Rev. Letter
Observation of B+ -> Dbar*0 tau+ nu_tau and Evidence for B+ -> Dbar^0 tau+ nu_tau at Belle
We present measurements of B+ -> Dbar*0 tau+ nu_tau and B+ -> Dbar^0 tau+
nu_tau decays in a data sample of 657 x 10^6 BBbar pairs collected with the
Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. We find
446^{+58}_{-56} events of the decay B+ -> Dbar*0 tau+ nu_tau with a
significance of 8.1 standard deviations, and 146^{+42}_{-41} events of the
decay B+ -> Dbar0 tau+ nu_tau with a significance of 3.5 standard deviations.
The latter signal provides the first evidence for this decay mode. The measured
branching fractions are B(B+ -> Dbar*0 tau+ nu_tau)=(2.12^{+0.28}_{-0.27}
(stat) +- 0.29 (syst)) % and B(B+ -> Dbar0 tau+ nu_tau)=(0.77 +- 0.22 (stat) +-
0.12 (syst)) %.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Measurement of CP violating asymmetries in B^0 -> K^+K^- K^0_S decays with a time-dependent Dalitz approach
We report a measurement of violating asymmetries in decays with a time-dependent Dalitz approach. This analysis
is based on a data sample of pairs accumulated
at the resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB
asymmetric-energy collider. As the result of an unbinned maximum
likelihood fit to the selected candidates, the mixing-induced and direct
violation parameters, and are obtained for
, and other decays. We find four solutions that describe the data. There are
\{eqnarray*} \phi_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to \phi(1020) K^0_S) & = & (32.2 \pm 9.0 \pm
2.6 \pm 1.4)^{\circ}; \phi_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to \phi(1020) K^0_S) & = & (26.2 \pm
8.8 \pm 2.7 \pm 1.2)^{\circ};\\ \phi_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to \phi(1020) K^0_S) & = &
(27.3 \pm 8.6 \pm 2.8 \pm 1.3)^{\circ}\; {\rm and}\\ \phi_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to
\phi(1020) K^0_S) & = & (24.3 \pm 8.0 \pm 2.9 \pm 5.2)^{\circ}.{eqnarray*}\ The
values for the violating phase in are similar
but other properties of the Dalitz plot are quite different for the four
solutions. These four solutions have consistent values for
all three meson decay channels and none of them deviates significantly from
the values measured in decays with the currently
available statistics. In addition, we find no significant direct
violation.Comment: submitted to PR
Search for Lepton Flavor and Lepton Number Violating tau Decays into a Lepton and Two Charged Mesons
We search for lepton flavor and lepton number violating tau decays into a
lepton (ell = electron or muon) and two charged mesons (h,h' = pi^\pm or
K^\pm), tau- -> ell-h+h'- and tau- -> ell+h-h'-, using 671 fb^{-1} of data
collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider.
We obtain 90% C.L. upper limits on the branching fractions in the range
(4.4-8.8)x10^{-8} for tau -> ehh', and (3.3-16)x10^{-8} for tau -> muhh'
processes. These results improve upon previously published upper limits by
factors between 1.6 to 8.8.Comment: 15 page, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Lett.
Search for CP violation in the decays and
We have searched for CP violation in the charmed meson decays and using 673 fb of data
collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy
collider. No evidence for CP violation is observed. We report the most
sensitive CP asymmetry measurements to date for these decays: , , , and , where the first uncertainties are statistical and
the second are systematic
Measurement of CP asymmetries in decays
We report measurements of CP violation parameters in
decays based on a data sample of pairs collected
with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy collider. We
use decays for both mixing-induced and direct
violating asymmetry measurements and decays for the
direct CP violation measurement. The CP violation parameters obtained are and
. The
branching fraction of decay is measured to be
. The observed value
differs by 1.9 standard deviations from the value expected from an isospin sum
rule.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
Measurement of CP violating asymmetries in B^0 -> K^+K^- K^0_S decays with a time-dependent Dalitz approach
We report a measurement of violating asymmetries in decays with a time-dependent Dalitz approach. This analysis
is based on a data sample of pairs accumulated
at the resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB
asymmetric-energy collider. As the result of an unbinned maximum
likelihood fit to the selected candidates, the mixing-induced and direct
violation parameters, and are obtained for
, and other decays. We find four solutions that describe the data. There are
\{eqnarray*} \phi_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to \phi(1020) K^0_S) & = & (32.2 \pm 9.0 \pm
2.6 \pm 1.4)^{\circ}; \phi_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to \phi(1020) K^0_S) & = & (26.2 \pm
8.8 \pm 2.7 \pm 1.2)^{\circ};\\ \phi_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to \phi(1020) K^0_S) & = &
(27.3 \pm 8.6 \pm 2.8 \pm 1.3)^{\circ}\; {\rm and}\\ \phi_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to
\phi(1020) K^0_S) & = & (24.3 \pm 8.0 \pm 2.9 \pm 5.2)^{\circ}.{eqnarray*}\ The
values for the violating phase in are similar
but other properties of the Dalitz plot are quite different for the four
solutions. These four solutions have consistent values for
all three meson decay channels and none of them deviates significantly from
the values measured in decays with the currently
available statistics. In addition, we find no significant direct
violation.Comment: submitted to PR
First Measurement of Inclusive B -> X_s eta Decays
We report a first measurement of inclusive B -> X_s eta decays, where X_s is
a charmless state with unit strangeness. The measurement is based on a
pseudo-inclusive reconstruction technique and uses a sample of 657 x 10^6
BB-bar pairs accumulated with the Belle detector at the KEKB e^+e^- collider.
For M_{X_s} < 2.6 GeV/c^2, we measure a branching fraction of (26.1 +/- 3.0
(stat) +1.9 -2.1 (syst) +4.0 -7.1 (model)) x 10^-5 and a direct CP asymmetry of
A_{CP} = -0.13 +/- 0.04 +0.02 -0.03. Over half of the signal occurs in the
range M_{X_s} > 1.8 GeV/c^2.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, 1 table, submitted to Physical Review Letter
Measurement of and branching ratios
We report an improved measurement of and branching ratios using 605 fb of data collected with the Belle
detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy collider. The measured
branching ratios with respect to the Cabibbo-favored modes are = 0.18990.0022
and =
0.08030.0019 where the first uncertainties are statistical and
the second are systematic
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