TitleOrganelle morphogenesis by active membrane remodeling.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsRamakrishnan N, Ipsen JH, Rao M, Kumar PBSunil
JournalSoft Matter
Volume11
Issue12
Pagination2387-93
Date Published2015 Mar 28
ISSN1744-6848
KeywordsIntracellular Membranes, Membrane Fusion, Models, Biological, Models, Statistical, Monte Carlo Method, Organelles
Abstract

Intracellular organelles are subject to a steady flux of lipids and proteins through active, energy consuming transport processes. Active fission and fusion are promoted by GTPases, e.g., Arf-Coatamer and the Rab-Snare complexes, which both sense and generate local membrane curvature. Here we investigate, through Dynamical Triangulation Monte Carlo simulations, the role that these active processes play in determining the morphology and composition segregation in closed membranes. We find that the steady state shapes obtained as a result of such active processes, bear a striking resemblance to the ramified morphologies of organelles in vivo, pointing to the relevance of nonequilibrium fission-fusion in organelle morphogenesis.

DOI10.1039/c4sm02311k
Alternate JournalSoft Matter
PubMed ID25672939