title: Membrane fusion.
abstract: Fusion of biological membranes is governed by physical principles but it is unclear whether the transition states are primarily determined by lipid physics or by protein-lipid interactions. Recent advances in the field include the physical description of bilayer fusion, particularly new models beyond continuum models and the role of the SNARE proteins. Despite substantial progress, an integrated concept for protein-mediated membrane fusion is not yet available, and many open questions remain to be answered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 37077, Göttingen, Germany. rjahn@gwdg.de
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jahn
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grubmüller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000378:metabolism; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000502:physiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D055585:Physical Phenomena; D010825:Physics; D050600:SNARE Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D050600:SNARE Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins