Mass spectrometric imaging of highly curved membranes during Tetrahymena mating

Science. 2004 Jul 2;305(5680):71-3. doi: 10.1126/science.1099791.

Abstract

Biological membrane fusion is crucial to numerous cellular events, including sexual reproduction and exocytosis. Here, mass spectrometry images demonstrate that the low-curvature lipid phosphatidylcholine is diminished in the membrane regions between fusing Tetrahymena, where a multitude of highly curved fusion pores exist. Additionally, mass spectra and principal component analysis indicate that the fusion region contains elevated amounts of 2-aminoethylphosphonolipid, a high-curvature lipid. This evidence suggests that biological fusion involves and might in fact be driven by a heterogeneous redistribution of lipids at the fusion site.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Membrane / chemistry*
  • Cell Membrane / ultrastructure
  • Freeze Fracturing
  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Membrane Fusion*
  • Membrane Lipids / analysis*
  • Phosphatidylcholines / analysis*
  • Phospholipids / analysis*
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Secondary Ion
  • Tetrahymena thermophila / chemistry
  • Tetrahymena thermophila / physiology*
  • Tetrahymena thermophila / ultrastructure

Substances

  • 2-aminoethylphosphonolipid
  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Membrane Lipids
  • Phosphatidylcholines
  • Phospholipids