Snf7 spirals sense and alter membrane curvature. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport III (ESCRT-III) is a conserved protein system involved in many cellular processes resulting in membrane deformation and scission, topologically away from the cytoplasm. However, little is known about the transition of the planar membrane-associated protein assembly into a 3D structure. High-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) provided insights into assembly, structural dynamics and turnover of Snf7, the major ESCRT-III component, on planar supported lipid bilayers. Here, we develop HS-AFM experiments that remove the constraints of membrane planarity, crowdedness, and support rigidity. On non-planar membranes, Snf7 monomers are curvature insensitive, but Snf7-spirals selectively adapt their conformation to membrane geometry. In a non-crowded system, Snf7-spirals reach a critical radius, and remodel to minimize internal stress. On non-rigid supports, Snf7-spirals compact and buckle, deforming the underlying bilayer. These experiments provide direct evidence that Snf7 is sufficient to mediate topological transitions, in agreement with the loaded spiral spring model.

publication date

  • April 21, 2022

Research

keywords

  • Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport
  • Lipid Bilayers

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC9023468

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85128677636

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1109/83.650848

PubMed ID

  • 35449207

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 13

issue

  • 1