Investigation into the dynamics of lipid membrane remodeling

Lipid membranes play a key role in biology, enclosing entire living cells, as well as intracellular compartments. Cellular processes such as endocytosis, virus budding, and cytokinesis involve changes in membrane shape and connectivity. Membrane remodeling is essential, common, and tightly regulated. A variety of pathways, including the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) machinery are involved in locally changing membrane curvature (both invagination and evagination), tabulation, and scission. However, the mechanics of many of these remodeling events are still poorly understood. We have used an in vitro GUV system, and investigated the details of membrane reshaping under local mechanical load and in several ESCRT protein backgrounds. We will discuss our results, which demonstrate how protein-based regulation can help remodel bilayer membranes.