Nonequilibrium Membrane Dynamics Induced by Active Protein Interactions and Chemical Reactions: A Review

TL;DR

This review explores how active protein interactions and chemical reactions drive nonequilibrium membrane dynamics, leading to diverse patterns and fluctuations, with emphasis on theoretical and simulation approaches.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the theoretical models and simulations describing nonequilibrium membrane behaviors induced by active proteins and chemical reactions.

Findings

Protein forces alter membrane fluctuation spectra.

Active binding induces patterns like waves and Turing structures.

Chemical reactions modulate membrane morphology.

Abstract

Biomembranes wrapping cells and organelles are not only the partitions that separate the insides but also dynamic fields for biological functions accompanied by membrane shape changes. In this review, we discuss the spatiotemporal patterns and fluctuations of membranes under nonequilibrium conditions. In particular, we focus on theoretical analyses and simulations. Protein active forces enhance or suppress the membrane fluctuations; the membrane height spectra are deviated from the thermal spectra. Protein binding or unbinding to the membrane is activated or inhibited by other proteins and chemical reactions, such as ATP hydrolysis. Such active binding processes can induce traveling waves, Turing patterns, and membrane morphological changes. They can be represented by the continuum reaction-diffusion equations and discrete lattice/particle models with state flips. The effects of structural changes in amphiphilic molecules on the molecular-assembly structures are also discussed.