Real-time intermembrane force measurements and imaging of lipid domain morphology during hemifusion.

ABSTRACT: Membrane fusion is the core process in membrane trafficking and is essential for cellular transport of proteins and other biomacromolecules. During protein-mediated membrane fusion, membrane proteins are often excluded from the membrane-membrane contact, indicating that local structural transformations in lipid domains play a major role. However, the rearrangements of lipid domains during fusion have not been thoroughly examined. Here using a newly developed Fluorescence Surface Forces Apparatus (FL-SFA), migration of liquid-disordered clusters and depletion of liquid-ordered domains at the membrane-membrane contact are imaged in real time during hemifusion of model lipid membranes, together with simultaneous force-distance and lipid membrane thickness measurements. The load and contact ti

SUBMITTER: Lee DW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4455132 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature