Shape transition from elliptical to cylindrical membrane tubes induced by chiral crescent-shaped protein rods

Abstract Proteins often form chiral assembly structures on a biomembrane. However, the role of the chirality in the interaction with an achiral membrane is poorly understood. Here, we report how chirality of crescent-shaped protein rods changes their assembly and tubulation using meshless membrane s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Hiroshi Noguchi
Format: article
Language:EN
Published: Nature Portfolio 2019
Subjects:
R
Q
Online Access:https://doaj.org/article/54ff21ebc24d4e70bed7dcf9798e28d9
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Proteins often form chiral assembly structures on a biomembrane. However, the role of the chirality in the interaction with an achiral membrane is poorly understood. Here, we report how chirality of crescent-shaped protein rods changes their assembly and tubulation using meshless membrane simulations. The achiral rods deformed the membrane tube into an elliptical shape by stabilizing the edges of the ellipse. In contrast, the chiral rods formed a helical assembly that generated a cylindrical membrane tube with a constant radius in addition to the elliptical tube. This helical assembly could be further stabilized by the direct side-to-side attraction between the protein rods. The chirality also promotes the tubulation from a flat membrane. These results agree with experimental findings of the constant radius of membrane tubules induced by the Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) superfamily proteins.