Membrane morphology induced by anisotropic proteins

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2011 Dec;84(6 Pt 1):061909. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.84.061909. Epub 2011 Dec 12.

Abstract

There are a great many proteins that localize to and collectively generate curvature in biological fluid membranes. We study changes in the topology of fluid membranes due to the presence of highly anisotropic, curvature-inducing proteins. Generically, we find a surprisingly rich phase diagram with phases of both positive and negative Gaussian curvature. As a concrete example modeled on experiments, we find that a lamellar phase in a negative Gaussian curvature regime exhibits a propensity to form screw dislocations of definite Burgers scalar but of both chiralities.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Anisotropy
  • Cell Membrane / chemistry*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Models, Biological
  • Normal Distribution

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins