title: Lipid-mediated endocytosis.
abstract: Receptor-mediated endocytosis is used by a number of viruses and toxins to gain entry into cells. Some have evolved to use specific lipids in the plasma membrane as their receptors. They include bacterial toxins such as Shiga and Cholera toxin and viruses such as mouse polyoma virus and simian virus 40. Through multivalent binding to glycosphingolipids, they induce lipid clustering and changes in membrane properties. Internalization occurs by unusual endocytic mechanisms involving lipid rafts, induction of membrane curvature, trans-bilayer coupling, and activation of signaling pathways. Once delivered to early endosomes, they follow diverse intracellular routes to the lumen of the ER, from which they penetrate into the cytosol. The role of the lipid receptors is central in these well-studied processes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorium für Physikalische Chemie, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ewers
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helenius
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002966:Clathrin / Q000378:metabolism; D004705:Endocytosis; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000378:metabolism; D022161:Transport Vesicles / Q000502:physiology; D053585:Virus Attachment; D053586:Virus Internalization
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002966:Clathrin; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D008024:Ligands