V-ATPase-dependent luminal acidification is required for endocytic recycling of a yeast cell wall stress sensor, Wsc1p.

Wsc1p is a major cell wall sensor protein localized at the polarized cell surface. The localization of Wsc1p is maintained by endocytosis and recycling from endosomes back to the cell surface, but changes to the vacuole when cells are subjected to heat stress. Exploiting this unique property of Wsc1p, we screened for yeast single-gene deletion mutants exhibiting defects in Wsc1p trafficking. By expressing 3GFP-tagged Wsc1p in mutants with deleted genes whose function is related to intracellular trafficking, we identified 5 gene groups affecting Wsc1p trafficking, impaired respectively in endocytic internalization, multivesicular body sorting, the GARP complex, endosomal maturation/vacuolar fusion, and V-ATPase. Interestingly, deletion of the VPH1 gene, encoding the V(o) subunit of vacuolar-type H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase), led to mis-localization of Wsc1p from the plasma membrane to the vacuole. In addition, disruption of other V-ATPase subunits (vma mutants) also caused defects of Wsc1p trafficking and vacuolar acidification similar to those seen in the vph1Δ mutant. Moreover, we found that deletion of the VPS26 gene, encoding a subunit of the retromer complex, also caused a defect in Wsc1p recycling and mis-localization of Wsc1p to the vacuole. These findings clarified the previously unidentified Wsc1p recycling pathway and requirement of V-ATPase-dependent luminal acidification for Wsc1p recycling.

Fourth generation CP violation effects on B-->Kpi, phiK, and rhoK in next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD.

We study the effect from a sequential fourth generation quark on penguin-dominated two-body nonleptonic B meson decays in the next-to-leading order perturbative QCD formalism. With an enhancement of the color-suppressed tree amplitude and possibility of a new CP phase in the electroweak penguin amplitude, we can account better for A(CP)(B(0)-->K+ pi-)-A(CP)(B+-->K+ pi0). Taking |V(t's)V(t'b)| approximately 0.02 with a phase just below 90 degrees, which is consistent with the b-->sl+ l- rate and the B(s) mixing parameter Deltam(B)(s), we find a downward shift in the mixing-induced CP asymmetries of B(0)-->K(S)(pi 0) and phi(K)(S). The predicted behavior for B(0)-->rho(0)(K)(S) is opposite.

Difference in B+ and B0 direct CP asymmetry as an effect of a fourth generation.

Direct CP violation in B0 --> K+ pi- decay has emerged at the -10% level, but the asymmetry in B+ --> K+ pi0 mode is consistent with zero. This difference points towards possible new physics in the electroweak penguin operator. We point out that a sequential fourth generation, with sizable V(t' s)* V(t' b) and near maximal phase, could be a natural cause. We use the perturbative QCD factorization approach for B --> Kpi amplitudes. While the B0 --> K+ pi- mode is insensitive to t', we critically compare t' effects on direct CP violation in B+ --> K+ pi0 with b --> sl+ l- and B(s) mixing. If the K+ pi0 - K+ pi- asymmetry difference persists, we predict sin2phi(Bs) to be negative.

Supersymmetric right-handed s-b flavor mixing: implications of B(0)-->phiK(S) anomaly for B factories and colliders.

Two recent experimental developments, when combined, may have far-reaching implications. S(phiK(S))<0, if confirmed, would imply large s-b mixing, a new CP phase, and right-handed dynamics. Large Deltam(B(s)) would be likely, making the B(s) program at hadron machines difficult. Reconstruction of B vertex from K(S) at B factories, as shown by BaBar's first measurement of SK(S)(pi(0)), makes SK(S)(pi(0)gamma) in B-->K(*0)gamma accessible. This would be a boon for B factory upgrades. Supersymmetric Abelian flavor symmetry, independently motivated, can realize all of this with a light sb(1) squark. B factory and collider studies of flavor, CP and supersymmetry, may not be what we had expected.