Silkworm Pupae Function as Efficient Producers of Recombinant Glycoproteins with Stable-Isotope Labeling

Baculovirus-infected silkworms are promising bioreactors for producing recombinant glycoproteins, including antibodies. Previously, we developed a method for isotope labeling of glycoproteins for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies using silkworm larvae reared on an artificial diet containing 15N-labeled yeast crude protein extract. Here, we further develop this method by introducing a technique for the expression of isotope-labeled glycoproteins by silkworm pupae, which has several potential advantages relative to larvae-based techniques in terms of production yield, ease of handling, and storage. Here, we fed fifth instar larvae an artificial diet with an optimized composition containing [methyl-13C]methionine, leading to pupation. Nine-day-old pupae were then injected with recombinant Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) bacmid for expression of recombinant human immunoglobulin G (IgG). From the whole-body homogenates of pupae, 0.35 mg/pupa of IgG was harvested, which is a yield that is five times higher than can be obtained from larvae. Recombinant IgG, thus prepared, exhibited mainly three kinds of pauci-mannose-type oligosaccharides and had a 13C-enrichment ratio of approximately 80%. This enabled selective observation of NMR signals originating from the methionyl methyl group of IgG, confirming its conformational integrity. These data demonstrate the utility of silkworm pupae as factories for producing recombinant glycoproteins with amino-acid-selective isotope labeling

Observation of Cabibbo-suppressed and W-exchange Lambda_c^+ baryon decays

We present measurements of the Cabibbo-suppressed decays Lambda_c^+ --> Lambda0 K+ and Lambda_c^+ --> Sigma0 K+ (both first observations), Lambda_c^+ --> Sigma+ K+ pi- (seen with large statistics for the first time), Lambda_c^+ --> p K+ K- and Lambda_c^+ --> p phi (measured with improved accuracy). Improved branching ratio measurements for the decays Lambda_c^+ --> Sigma+ K+ K- and Lambda_c^+ --> Sigma+ phi, which are attributed to W-exchange diagrams, are shown. We also present the first evidence for Lambda_c^+ --> Xi(1690)^0 K+ and set an upper limit on the non-resonant decay Lambda_c^+ --> Sigma+ K+ K-. This analysis was performed using 32.6 fb^{-1} of data collected by the Belle detector at the asymmetric e+ e- collider KEKB.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Lett. B. v2: A small correction to the Authorlist was made. An earlier version of this analysis was released as BELLE-CONF-0130, hep-ex/010800

A Measurement of the Branching Fraction for the Inclusive B --> X(s) gamma Decays with the Belle Detector

We have measured the branching fraction of the inclusive radiative B meson decay B --> X(s) gamma to be Br(B->X(s)gamma)=(3.36 +/- 0.53(stat) +/- 0.42(sys) +0.50-0.54(th)) x 10^{-4}. The result is based on a sample of 6.07 x 10^6 BBbar events collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric e^+e^- storage ring.Comment: 14 pages, 6 Postsript figures, uses elsart.cl

Search for Charmless Two-body Baryonic Decays of B Mesons

We report the results of a search for the rare baryonic decays $B^0 \to p\bar{p}$, $\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}$, and $B^+ \to p\bar{\Lambda}$. The analysis is based on a data set of $31.7\times 10^6 B\bar{B}$ events collected by the Belle detector at the KEKB $e^+e^-$ collider. No statistically significant signals are found, and we set branching fraction upper limits ${\mathcal B}(B^0 \to p\bar{p}) < 1.2 \times 10^{-6}$, ${\mathcal B}(B^0 \to \Lambda\bar{\Lambda}) < 1.0 \times 10^{-6}$, and ${\mathcal B}(B^+ \to p\bar{\Lambda}) < 2.2 \times 10^{-6}$ at the 90% confidence level.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures and 1 table. Submitted to Phys. Rev. D Rapid Communication

Measurement of the CP Violation Parameter sin(2phi_1) in B^0_d Meson Decays

We present a measurement of the Standard Model CP violation parameter sin(2phi_1) based on a 10.5 fb^{-1} data sample collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric e+e- collider. One neutral B meson is reconstructed in the J/psi K_S, psi(2S) K_S, chi_{c1} K_S, eta_c K_S, J/psi K_L or J/psi pi^0 CP-eigenstate decay channel and the flavor of the accompanying B meson is identified from its charged particle decay products. From the asymmetry in the distribution of the time interval between the two B-meson decay points, we determine sin(2phi_1) = 0.58 +0.32-0.34 (stat) +0.09-0.10 (syst).Comment: LaTex, 13 pages, 3 figures, submitted to P.R.

Measurement of Inclusive Production of Neutral Pions from Upsilon(4S) Decays

Using the Belle detector operating at the KEKB e+e- storage ring, we have measured the mean multiplicity and the momentum spectrum of neutral pions from the decays of the Upsilon(4S) resonance. We measure a mean of 4.70 +/- 0.04 +/- 0.22 neutral pions per Upsilon(4S) decay.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figs. Submitted to Phys.Rev.

Measurement of the Branching Fraction for B->eta' K and Search for B->eta'pi+

We report measurements for two-body charmless B decays with an eta' meson in the final state. Using 11.1X10^6 BBbar pairs collected with the Belle detector, we find BF(B^+ ->eta'K^+)=(79^+12_-11 +-9)x10^-6 and BF(B^0 -> eta'K^0)=(55^+19_-16 +-8)x10^-6, where the first and second errors are statistical and systematic, respectively. No signal is observed in the mode B^+ -> eta' pi^+, and we set a 90% confidence level upper limit of BF(B^+-> eta'pi^+) eta'K^+- decays is investigated and a limit at 90% confidence level of -0.20<Acp<0.32 is obtained.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Measurement of B0d - B0d-bar mixing rate from the time evolution of dilepton events at the Upsilon(4S)

We report a determination of the B0d - B0d-bar mixing parameter Delta-m_d based on the time evolution of dilepton yields in Upsilon(4S) decays. The measurement is based on a 5.9 /fb data sample collected by the Belle detector at KEKB. The proper-time difference distributions for same-sign and opposite-sign dilepton events are simultaneously fitted to an expression containing Delta-m_d as a free parameter. Using both muons and electrons, we obtain Delta-m_d = 0.463 +- 0.008(stat.) +- 0.016(sys.) ps^{-1} This is the first determination of Delta-m_d from time evolution measurements at the Upsilon(4S). We also place limits on possible CPT violations.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure

Search for Direct CP Violation in B -> K pi Decays

We search for direct CP violation in flavor specific B -> K pi decays by measuring the rate asymmetry between charge conjugate modes. The search is performed on a data sample of 11.1 million B B bar events recorded on the Upsilon(4S) resonance by the Belle experiment at KEKB. We measure 90% confidence intervals in the partial rate asymmetry A_CP of -0.25 < A_CP(K-/+ pi+/-) < 0.37, -0.40 < A_CP(K-/+ pi^0) < 0.36, and -0.53 < A_CP(K^0 pi-/+) < 0.82. By combining the K-/+ pi+/- and K-/+ pi^0 final states, we conclude that -0.22 < A_CP[K-/+(pi+/- + pi^0)] < 0.25 at the 90% confidence level.Comment: Submitted to PRD Rapid Communication

Precise Measurement of B Meson Lifetimes with Hadronic Decay Final States

The lifetimes of the B0bar and B- mesons are extracted from 29.1/fb of data collected with the Belle detector at the KEK B-factory. A fit to the decay length differences of neutral and charged B meson pairs, measured in events where one of the B mesons is fully reconstructed in several hadronic modes, yields tau_B0bar = 1.554 +/- 0.030(stat) +/- 0.019(syst) ps, tau_B- = 1.695 +/- 0.026(stat) +/- 0.015(syst) ps, and tau_B-/tau_B0bar = 1.091 +/- 0.023(stat) +/- 0.014(syst).Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, and 1 table. (To be) published in Phys. Rev. Let