TY - JOUR

T1 - A synthetic membrane shaper for controlled liposome deformation

AU - Pezeshkian, Weria

PY - 2021/12/23

Y1 - 2021/12/23

N2 - Shape defines the structure and function of cellular membranes. In cell division, the cell membrane deforms into a ‘dumbbell’ shape, while organelles such as the autophagosome exhibit ‘stomatocyte’ shapes. Bottom-up in vitro reconstitution of protein machineries that stabilize or resolve the membrane necks in such deformed liposome structures is of considerable interest to characterize their function. Here we develop a DNA-nanotechnology-based approach that we call Synthetic Membrane Shaper (SMS), where cholesterol-linked DNA structures attach to the liposome membrane to reproducibly generate high yields of stomatocytes and dumbbells. In silico simulations confirm the shape-stabilizing role of the SMS. We show that the SMS is fully compatible with protein reconstitution by assembling bacterial divisome proteins (DynaminA, FtsZ:ZipA) at the catenoidal neck of these membrane structures. The SMS approach provides a general tool for studying protein binding to complex membrane geometries that will greatly benefit synthetic cell research.

AB - Shape defines the structure and function of cellular membranes. In cell division, the cell membrane deforms into a ‘dumbbell’ shape, while organelles such as the autophagosome exhibit ‘stomatocyte’ shapes. Bottom-up in vitro reconstitution of protein machineries that stabilize or resolve the membrane necks in such deformed liposome structures is of considerable interest to characterize their function. Here we develop a DNA-nanotechnology-based approach that we call Synthetic Membrane Shaper (SMS), where cholesterol-linked DNA structures attach to the liposome membrane to reproducibly generate high yields of stomatocytes and dumbbells. In silico simulations confirm the shape-stabilizing role of the SMS. We show that the SMS is fully compatible with protein reconstitution by assembling bacterial divisome proteins (DynaminA, FtsZ:ZipA) at the catenoidal neck of these membrane structures. The SMS approach provides a general tool for studying protein binding to complex membrane geometries that will greatly benefit synthetic cell research.

U2 - 10.1101/2021.12.22.473854

DO - 10.1101/2021.12.22.473854

M3 - Journal article

JO - bioRxiv

JF - bioRxiv

SN - 2692-8205

ER -