Protein recruitment through indirect mechanochemical interactions

TL;DR

This paper proposes a mechanochemical feedback mechanism explaining how proteins cooperatively bind to membranes, involving membrane deformation and composition, which influences protein pattern formation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theory linking membrane mechanics and protein recruitment, highlighting the role of membrane deformation and composition in cooperativity.

Findings

Protein recruitment involves membrane deformation.

Membrane composition significantly affects protein binding.

The theory predicts membrane deformation influences protein pattern formation.

Abstract

Some of the key proteins essential for important cellular processes are capable of recruiting other proteins from the cytosol to phospholipid membranes. The physical basis for this cooperativity of binding is, surprisingly, still unclear. Here, we suggest a general feedback mechanism that explains cooperativity through mechanochemical coupling mediated by the mechanical properties of phospholipid membranes. Our theory predicts that protein recruitment, and therefore also protein pattern formation, involves membrane deformation, and is strongly affected by membrane composition.