Greasing membrane fusion and fission machineries.
Biological membrane fusion is a local-point event, extremely fast, and under strict control. Proteins are responsible for the mutual recognition of the fusion partners and for the initiation of biomembrane fusion, and thus determine where and when fusion occurs. However, the central event during membrane fusion is the merger of two membranes, which requires a transient reorganization of membrane lipids into highly curved fusion intermediates. This review focuses on the potential role of lipids in the generation of membrane curvature, and thus in the regulation of membrane fusion and fission.
Burger
K N
KN
Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands. K.N.J.Burger@bio.uu.nl
D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000378:metabolism; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000502:physiology*; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000217:Acyltransferases