Chemically triggered ejection of membrane tubules controlled by intermonolayer friction.
We report a chemically driven membrane shape instability that triggers the ejection of a tubule growing exponentially toward a chemical source. The instability is initiated by a dilation of the exposed monolayer, which is coupled to the membrane spontaneous curvature and slowed down by intermonolayer friction. Our experiments are performed by local delivery of a basic pH solution to a giant vesicle. Quantitative fits of the data give an intermonolayer friction coefficient b approximately 2x10;{9} J s/m;{4}. The exponential growth of the tubule may be explained by a Marangoni stress yielding a pulling force proportional to its length.
Fournier
J-B
JB
Laboratoire Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), UMR 7057 CNRS and Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7, Bâtiment Condorcet, CC 7056, 75205 Paris, France.
Khalifat
N
N
Puff
N
N
Angelova
M I
MI
D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D013816:Thermodynamics; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008055:Lipids; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes