Protein Recruitment through Indirect Mechanochemical Interactions

Goychuk, Andriy and Frey, Erwin (2019): Protein Recruitment through Indirect Mechanochemical Interactions. In: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 123, No. 17, 178101

Abstract

Some of the key proteins essential for important cellular processes are capable of recruiting other proteins from the cytosol to phospholipid membranes. The physical basis for this cooperativity of binding is, surprisingly, still unclear. Here, we suggest a general feedback mechanism that explains cooperativity through mechanochemical coupling mediated by the mechanical properties of phospholipid membranes. Our theory predicts that protein recruitment, and therefore also protein pattern formation, involves membrane deformation and is strongly affected by membrane composition.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Physics
• Subjects: 500 Science > 530 Physics
• ISSN: 0031-9007
• Language: English