Bending membranes to the task: structural intermediates in bilayer fusion.
Merger of lipid bilayers plays a central role in diverse biological fusion reactions. Recent studies suggest that different membrane fusion systems, including fusion of purely lipid bilayers, involve formation of similar stalk-type intermediates--highly bent (net negative curvature) and transient lipidic connections between fusing membranes.
Chernomordik
L V
LV
Laboratory of Theoretical and Physical Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1855, USA.
Zimmerberg
J
J
D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008561:Membrane Fusion
D008051:Lipid Bilayers