scholarly journals Physical basis of some membrane shaping mechanisms

Author(s):  
Mijo Simunovic ◽  
Coline Prévost ◽  
Andrew Callan-Jones ◽  
Patricia Bassereau

In vesicular transport pathways, membrane proteins and lipids are internalized, externalized or transported within cells, not by bulk diffusion of single molecules, but embedded in the membrane of small vesicles or thin tubules. The formation of these ‘transport carriers’ follows sequential events: membrane bending, fission from the donor compartment, transport and eventually fusion with the acceptor membrane. A similar sequence is involved during the internalization of drug or gene carriers inside cells. These membrane-shaping events are generally mediated by proteins binding to membranes. The mechanisms behind these biological processes are actively studied both in the context of cell biology and biophysics. Bin/amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain proteins are ideally suited for illustrating how simple soft matter principles can account for membrane deformation by proteins. We review here some experimental methods and corresponding theoretical models to measure how these proteins affect the mechanics and the shape of membranes. In more detail, we show how an experimental method employing optical tweezers to pull a tube from a giant vesicle may give important quantitative insights into the mechanism by which proteins sense and generate membrane curvature and the mechanism of membrane scission. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Soft interfacial materials: from fundamentals to formulation’.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng-Ching Tsai ◽  
Aurélie Bertin ◽  
Hugo Bousquet ◽  
John Manzi ◽  
Yosuke Senju ◽  
...  

AbstractOne challenge in current cell biology is to decipher the biophysical mechanisms governing protein enrichment on curved membranes and the resulting membrane deformation. The ERM protein ezrin is abundant and associated with cellular membranes that are flat or with positive or negative curvatures. Using in vitro and cell biology approaches, we assess mechanisms of ezrin’s enrichment on curved membranes. We evidence that ezrin (ezrinWT) and its phosphomimetic mutant T567D (ezrinTD) do not deform membranes but self-assemble anti-parallelly, zipping adjacent membranes. EzrinTD’s specific conformation reduces intermolecular ezrin interactions, allows binding to actin filaments, and promotes ezrin binding to positively curved membranes. While neither ezrinTD nor ezrinWT senses negative membrane curvature alone, we demonstrate that interacting with curvature sensors I-BAR-domain proteins facilitates ezrin enrichment in negatively curved membrane protrusions. Overall, our work reveals new mechanisms, specific conformation or binding to a curvature sensor partner, for targeting curvature insensitive proteins to curved membranes.


Soft Matter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 4254-4265
Author(s):  
Feng-Ching Tsai ◽  
Mijo Simunovic ◽  
Benoit Sorre ◽  
Aurélie Bertin ◽  
John Manzi ◽  
...  

We review current theoretical models for curvature sensing of BAR-domain proteins, test the models on 2 proteins, and present new electron microscopy data on the organization of BAR domains on tubes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asier Echarri ◽  
Dácil M. Pavón ◽  
Sara Sánchez ◽  
María García-García ◽  
Enrique Calvo ◽  
...  

AbstractCells remodel their structure in response to mechanical strain. However, how mechanical forces are translated into biochemical signals that coordinate the structural changes observed at the plasma membrane (PM) and the underlying cytoskeleton during mechanoadaptation is unclear. Here, we show that PM mechanoadaptation is controlled by a tension-sensing pathway composed of c-Abl tyrosine kinase and membrane curvature regulator FBP17. FBP17 is recruited to caveolae to induce the formation of caveolar rosettes. FBP17 deficient cells have reduced rosette density, lack PM tension buffering capacity under osmotic shock, and cannot adapt to mechanical strain. Mechanistically, tension is transduced to the FBP17 F-BAR domain by direct phosphorylation mediated by c-Abl, a mechanosensitive molecule. This modification inhibits FBP17 membrane bending activity and releases FBP17-controlled inhibition of mDia1-dependent stress fibers, favoring membrane adaptation to increased tension. This mechanoprotective mechanism adapts the cell to changes in mechanical tension by coupling PM and actin cytoskeleton remodeling.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binod Nepal ◽  
Aliasghar Sepehri ◽  
Themis Lazaridis

AbstractThe membrane sculpting ability of BAR domains has been attributed to the intrinsic curvature of their banana-shaped dimeric structure. However, there is often a mismatch between this intrinsic curvature and the diameter of the membrane tubules generated. I-BAR domains have been especially mysterious: they are almost flat but generate high negative membrane curvature. Here, we use atomistic implicit-solvent computer modeling to show that the membrane bending of the IRSP53 I-BAR domain is dictated by its higher oligomeric structure, whose curvature is completely unrelated to the intrinsic curvature of the dimer. Two other I-BARs gave similar results, whereas a flat F-BAR sheet developed a concave membrane binding interface, consistent with its observed positive membrane curvature generation. Laterally interacting helical spirals of I-BAR dimers on tube interiors are stable and have an enhanced binding energy that is sufficient for membrane bending to experimentally observed tubule diameters at a reasonable surface density.


2005 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 911-919 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Gabriela Roca ◽  
Jochen Arlt ◽  
Chris E. Jeffree ◽  
Nick D. Read

ABSTRACT Although hyphal fusion has been well documented in mature colonies of filamentous fungi, it has been little studied during colony establishment. Here we show that specialized hyphae, called conidial anastomosis tubes (CATs), are produced by all types of conidia and by conidial germ tubes of Neurospora crassa. The CAT is shown to be a cellular element that is morphologically and physiologically distinct from a germ tube and under separate genetic control. In contrast to germ tubes, CATs are thinner, shorter, lack branches, exhibit determinate growth, and home toward each other. Evidence for an extracellular CAT inducer derived from conidia was obtained because CAT formation was reduced at low conidial concentrations. A cr-1 mutant lacking cyclic AMP (cAMP) produced CATs, indicating that the inducer is not cAMP. Evidence that the transduction of the CAT inducer signal involves a putative transmembrane protein (HAM-2) and the MAK-2 and NRC-1 proteins of a mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway was obtained because ham-2, mak-2, and nrc-1 mutants lacked CATs. Optical tweezers were used in a novel experimental assay to micromanipulate whole conidia and germlings to analyze chemoattraction between CATs during homing. Strains of the same and opposite mating type were shown to home toward each other. The cr-1 mutant also underwent normal homing, indicating that cAMP is not the chemoattractant. ham-2, mak-2, and nrc-1 macroconidia did not attract CATs of the wild type. Fusion between CATs of opposite mating types was partially inhibited, providing evidence of non-self-recognition prior to fusion. Microtubules and nuclei passed through fused CATs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 218 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Wang ◽  
Ziyi Yan ◽  
Helena Vihinen ◽  
Ove Eriksson ◽  
Weihuan Wang ◽  
...  

Mitochondrial function is closely linked to its dynamic membrane ultrastructure. The mitochondrial inner membrane (MIM) can form extensive membrane invaginations known as cristae, which contain the respiratory chain and ATP synthase for oxidative phosphorylation. The molecular mechanisms regulating mitochondrial ultrastructure remain poorly understood. The Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs (BAR) domain proteins are central regulators of diverse cellular processes related to membrane remodeling and dynamics. Whether BAR domain proteins are involved in sculpting membranes in specific submitochondrial compartments is largely unknown. In this study, we report FAM92A1 as a novel BAR domain protein localizes to the matrix side of the MIM. Loss of FAM92A1 caused a severe disruption to mitochondrial morphology and ultrastructure, impairing organelle bioenergetics. Furthermore, FAM92A1 displayed a membrane-remodeling activity in vitro, inducing a high degree of membrane curvature. Collectively, our findings uncover a role for a BAR domain protein as a critical organizer of the mitochondrial ultrastructure that is indispensable for mitochondrial function.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Harlepp ◽  
Fabrice Thalmann ◽  
Gautier Follain ◽  
Jacky G. Goetz

AbstractForce sensing and generation at the tissular and cellular scale is central to many biological events. There is a growing interest in modern cell biology for methods enabling force measurements in vivo. Optical trapping allows non-invasive probing of pico-Newton forces and thus emerged as a promising mean for assessing biomechanics in vivo. Nevertheless, the main obstacles rely in the accurate determination of the trap stiffness in heterogeneous living organisms, at any position where the trap is used. A proper calibration of the trap stiffness is thus required for performing accurate and reliable force measurements in vivo. Here, we introduce a method that overcomes these difficulties by accurately measuring hemodynamic profiles in order to calibrate the trap stiffness. Doing so, and using numerical methods to assess the accuracy of the experimental data, we measured flow profiles and drag forces imposed to trapped red blood cells of living zebrafish embryos. Using treatments enabling blood flow tuning, we demonstrated that such method is powerful in measuring hemodynamic forces in vivo with accuracy and confidence. Altogether, this study demonstrates the power of optical tweezing in measuring low range hemodynamic forces in vivo and offers an unprecedented tool in both cell and developmental biology.


Soft Matter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arijit Mahapatra ◽  
David Saintillan ◽  
Padmini Rangamani

Membrane bending is an extensively studied problem from both modeling and experimental perspectives because of the wide implications of curvature generation in cell biology. Many of the curvature generating aspects...


Open Biology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (8) ◽  
pp. 130081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsuya Takeda ◽  
Iain M. Robinson ◽  
Matthew M. Savoian ◽  
John R. Griffiths ◽  
Anthony D. Whetton ◽  
...  

Cytokinesis is a highly ordered cellular process driven by interactions between central spindle microtubules and the actomyosin contractile ring linked to the dynamic remodelling of the plasma membrane. The mechanisms responsible for reorganizing the plasma membrane at the cell equator and its coupling to the contractile ring in cytokinesis are poorly understood. We report here that Syndapin, a protein containing an F-BAR domain required for membrane curvature, contributes to the remodelling of the plasma membrane around the contractile ring for cytokinesis. Syndapin colocalizes with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P 2 ) at the cleavage furrow, where it directly interacts with a contractile ring component, Anillin. Accordingly, Anillin is mislocalized during cytokinesis in Syndapin mutants. Elevated or diminished expression of Syndapin leads to cytokinesis defects with abnormal cortical dynamics. The minimal segment of Syndapin, which is able to localize to the cleavage furrow and induce cytokinesis defects, is the F-BAR domain and its immediate C-terminal sequences. Phosphorylation of this region prevents this functional interaction, resulting in reduced ability of Syndapin to bind to and deform membranes. Thus, the dephosphorylated form of Syndapin mediates both remodelling of the plasma membrane and its proper coupling to the cytokinetic machinery.


2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 2360-2372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agustina Olivera-Couto ◽  
Martin Graña ◽  
Laura Harispe ◽  
Pablo S. Aguilar

Eisosomes define sites of plasma membrane organization. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, eisosomes delimit furrow-like plasma membrane invaginations that concentrate sterols, transporters, and signaling molecules. Eisosomes are static macromolecular assemblies composed of cytoplasmic proteins, most of which have no known function. In this study, we used a bioinformatics approach to analyze a set of 20 eisosome proteins. We found that the core components of eisosomes, paralogue proteins Pil1 and Lsp1, are distant homologues of membrane-sculpting Bin/amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) proteins. Consistent with this finding, purified recombinant Pil1 and Lsp1 tubulated liposomes and formed tubules when the proteins were overexpressed in mammalian cells. Structural homology modeling and site-directed mutagenesis indicate that Pil1 positively charged surface patches are needed for membrane binding and liposome tubulation. Pil1 BAR domain mutants were defective in both eisosome assembly and plasma membrane domain organization. In addition, we found that eisosome-associated proteins Slm1 and Slm2 have F-BAR domains and that these domains are needed for targeting to furrow-like plasma membrane invaginations. Our results support a model in which BAR domain protein–mediated membrane bending leads to clustering of lipids and proteins within the plasma membrane.


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