Binding of Curvature-Inducing Proteins onto Biomembranes

TL;DR

This paper reviews theoretical analyses and simulations of how curvature-inducing proteins interact with biomembranes, affecting their shape and organization, including budding, tubulation, and pattern formation.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of recent theoretical and simulation studies on membrane-protein interactions and shape transformations.

Findings

Proteins induce various membrane shapes like buds and tubes.

Membrane shape transitions depend on protein properties and binding.

Simulations reveal complex patterns such as waves and Turing structures.

Abstract

We review the theoretical analyses and simulations of the interactions between curvature-inducing proteins and biomembranes. Laterally isotropic proteins induce spherical budding, whereas anisotropic proteins, such as Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) superfamily proteins, induce tabulation. Both types of proteins can sense the membrane curvature. We describe the theoretical analyses of various transitions of protein binding accompanied by a change in various properties, such as the number of buds, the radius of membrane tubes, and the nematic order of anisotropic proteins. Moreover, we explain the membrane-mediated interactions and protein assembly. Many types of membrane shape transformations (spontaneous tubulation, formation of polyhedral vesicles, polygonal tubes, periodic bumps, and network structures, etc.) have been demonstrated by coarse-grained simulations. Furthermore, traveling waves and Turing patterns under the coupling of reaction-diffusion dynamics and membrane deformation are described.