Intracellular transport: from physics to ... biology.
Considerable effort over the past three decades has allowed the identification of the protein families that control the cellular machinery responsible for intracellular transport within eukaryotic cells. These proteins are estimated to represent about 10-20% of the human "proteome." The complexity of intracellular transport makes useful the development of model membranes. We describe here experimental systems based on lipid giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), which are attached to kinesin molecules. These systems give rise to thin membrane tubes and to complex tubular networks when incubated in vitro with microtubules and ATP. This type of assay, which mimics key events occurring during intracellular transport, allows physicists and biologists to understand how the unique mechanical properties of lipid membranes could be involved in the budding process, the sorting of cargo proteins and lipids, and the separation of the buds from a donor membrane.
Roux
Aurélien
A
UMR 144 CNRS, Department of Cell Biology, Institut Curie, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248 Paris Cedex 05, France.
Cuvelier
Damien
D
Bassereau
Patricia
P
Goud
Bruno
B
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D001695:Biology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000502:physiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000502:physiology; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000502:physiology; D008870:Microtubules / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D055585:Physical Phenomena; D010825:Physics
D008055:Lipids; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins