Study of color suppressed modes B0→Dˉ(∗)0η(′)B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \eta^{(\prime)}

The color suppressed modes $B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \eta^{(\prime)}$ are analyzed in perturbative QCD approach. We find that the dominant contribution is from the non-factorizable diagrams. The branching ratios calculated in our approach for $B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \eta$ agree with current experiments. By neglecting the gluonic contribution, we predict the branching ratios of $B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \eta'$ are at the comparable size of $B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \pi^0$, but smaller than that of $B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \eta$.Comment: revtex, 5 pages, axodraw.st

∣Vub∣|V_{ub}| determination by B→DsπB \to D_s \pi

We investigate \ovar{B^0} \to D_s^- \pi^+ decay in perturbative QCD approach which has recently been applied to $B$ meson decays. \ovar{B^0} \to D_s^- \pi^+ decay (and its charge conjugated mode) can be one of the hopeful modes to determine $|V_{ub}|$ since it occurs through $b \to u$ transition only. We estimate both factorizable and non-factorizable contribution, and show that the non-factorizable contribution is much less than the factorizable one. Our calculation gives {BR}(\ovar{B^0} \to D_s^- \pi^+) = (50 \sim 70) \times f_{Ds}^2|{V_{ub}}{V_{cs}}|^2.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, LaTeX2e with graphics packag

Semileptonic B(Bs,Bc)B(B_s, B_c) decays in the light-cone QCD sum rules

Semileptonic $B$($B_s, B_c$) decays are investigated systematically in the light-cone QCD sum rules. Special emphasis is put on the LCSR calculation on weak form factors with an adequate chiral current correlator, which turns out to be particularly effective to control the pollution by higher twist components of spectator mesons. The result for each channel depends on the distribution amplitude of the the producing meson. The leading twist distribution amplitudes of the related heavy mesons and charmonium are worked out by a model approach in the reasonable way. A practical scenario is suggested to understand the behavior of weak form factors in the whole kinematically accessible ranges. The decay widths and branching ratios are estimated for several $B$($B_c$) decay modes of current interest.Comment: 8 pages, talk given by the first arthur at 4th International Conference on Flavor Physics (ICFP 2007), Beijing, China, Sept 24-28, 200

NMR and mutational identification of the collagen-binding site of the chaperone Hsp47.

Heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47) acts as a client-specific chaperone for collagen and plays a vital role in collagen maturation and the consequent embryonic development. In addition, this protein can be a potential target for the treatment of fibrosis. Despite its physiological and pathological importance, little is currently known about the collagen-binding mode of Hsp47 from a structural aspect. Here, we describe an NMR study that was conducted to identify the collagen-binding site of Hsp47. We used chicken Hsp47, which has higher solubility than its human counterpart, and applied a selective (15)N-labeling method targeting its tryptophan and histidine residues. Spectral assignments were made based on site-directed mutagenesis of the individual residues. By inspecting the spectral changes that were observed upon interaction with a trimeric collagen peptide and the mutational data, we successfully mapped the collagen-binding site in the B/C β-barrel domain and a nearby loop in a 3D-homology model based upon a serpin fold. This conclusion was confirmed by mutational analysis. Our findings provide a molecular basis for the design of compounds that target the interaction between Hsp47 and procollagen as therapeutics for fibrotic diseases

Possible Large Direct CP Violations in Charmless B-Decays

We discuss the perturbative QCD approach for the exclusive two body B-meson decays to light mesons. We briefly review its ingredients and some important theoretical issues on factorization approach. We show numerical results which are compatible with present experimantal data for the charmless B-meson decays. Specailly we predict the possibility of large direct CP violation effects in $B^0 \to \pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ $(23\pm7$ and $B^0\to K^{+}\pi^{-}$ $(-17\pm5$. In the last section we investigate two methods to determine the weak phases $\phi_2$ and $\phi_3$ from $B \to \pi\pi,K\pi$ processes. We obtain bounds on $\phi_2$ and $\phi_3$ from present experimental measurements.Comment: 18 pages, latex, 8 figures and 8 tables, typos corrected and added more tables and references. Presented at the 3rd workshop on Higher Luminosity B Factory, 6-7 August 2002, Kanagawa, Japan; Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Branching ratios of B+→D(∗)+K(∗)0B^+ \to D^{(*)+}K^{(*)0} decays in perturbative QCD approach

We study the rare decays $B^+ \to D^{(*)+}K^{(*)0}$, which can occur only via annihilation type diagrams in the standard model. We calculate all of the four modes, $B \to PP, VP, PV, VV$, in the framework of perturbative QCD approach and give the branching ratios of the order about $10^{-6}$.Comment: 18 pages, 1 figure, Revte

Perturbative QCD analysis of B→ϕK∗B \to \phi K^* decays

We study the first observed charmless $B\to VV$ modes, the $B\to\phi K^*$ decays, in perturbative QCD formalism. The obtained branching ratios $B(B\to\phi K^*)\sim 15 \times 10^{-6}$ are larger than $\sim 9\times 10^{-6}$ from QCD factorization. The comparison of the predicted magnitudes and phases of the different helicity amplitudes, and branching ratios with experimental data can test the power counting rules, the evaluation of annihilation contributions, and the mechanism of dynamical penguin enhancement in perturbative QCD, respectively.Comment: 14 pages, 2 tables, brief disscussion on hard sacle added, version to appear in PR

Peptide exchange on MHC-I by TAPBPR is driven by a negative allostery release cycle.

Chaperones TAPBPR and tapasin associate with class I major histocompatibility complexes (MHC-I) to promote optimization (editing) of peptide cargo. Here, we use solution NMR to investigate the mechanism of peptide exchange. We identify TAPBPR-induced conformational changes on conserved MHC-I molecular surfaces, consistent with our independently determined X-ray structure of the complex. Dynamics present in the empty MHC-I are stabilized by TAPBPR and become progressively dampened with increasing peptide occupancy. Incoming peptides are recognized according to the global stability of the final pMHC-I product and anneal in a native-like conformation to be edited by TAPBPR. Our results demonstrate an inverse relationship between MHC-I peptide occupancy and TAPBPR binding affinity, wherein the lifetime and structural features of transiently bound peptides control the regulation of a conformational switch located near the TAPBPR binding site, which triggers TAPBPR release. These results suggest a similar mechanism for the function of tapasin in the peptide-loading complex

The transition form factors for semi-leptonic weak decays of J/ψJ/\psi in QCD sum rules

Within the Standard Model, we investigate the semi-leptonic weak decays of $J/\psi$. The various form factors of $J/\psi$ transiting to a single charmed meson ($D^{(*)}_{(d,s)}$) are studied in the framework of the QCD sum rules. These form factors fully determine the rates of the weak semi-leptonic decays of $J/\psi$ and provide valuable information about the non-perturbative QCD effects. Our results indicate that the decay rate of the semi-leptonic weak decay mode $J/\psi \to D^{(*)-}_{s}+e^{+}+\nu_{e}$ is at order of $10^{-10}$.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figures, revised version to be published in Eur.Phys.J.

Study of Bc --> J/psi pi, etac pi decays with perturbative QCD approach

The Bc --> J/psi pi, etac pi decays are studied with the perturbative QCD approach. It is found that form factors and branching ratios are sensitive to the parameters w, v, f_J/psi and f_etac, where w and v are the parameters of the charmonium wave functions for Coulomb potential and harmonic oscillator potential, respectively, f_J/psi and f_etac are the decay constants of the J/psi and etac mesons, respectively. The large branching ratios and the clear signals of the final states make the Bc --> J/psi pi, etac pi decays to be the prospective channels for measurements at the hadron collidersComment: 21 pages, revtex