CRC 1208 Lecture
on Thursday, 13.01.2022
4:30 pm- 6:00 p.m.
for all members of CRC 1208 and guests.

Rumiana Dimova, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm
Title: "Membrane remodeling in artificial cells: to bud or not to bud "
Host: Cornelia Monzel

Abstract:
Cellular membranes exhibit a large variation in curvature, which is commonly believed to be generated by proteins. However, curvature can be readily modulated by various asymmetries. As a workbench for artificial cells, we employ giant vesicles (10-100µm). In this talk, we will introduce approaches employing them for the precise quantification of the membrane spontaneous curvature. Several examples for generating curvature will be considered: asymmetric distribution of ions on both sides of the membrane (Nano Lett. 18:7816, 2018), insertion/desorption of sugar-lipids such as the ganglioside GM1 (PNAS 115:5756, 2018) and PEG adsorption (PNAS 108:4731, 2011; ACS Nano 10:463, 2016). We will also show how spontaneous curvature generation by protein adsorption at low surface density is able to modulate membrane morphology and topology to the extent of inducing vesicle fission (Nature Commun. 11:905, 2020). Finally, the process of membrane wetting by molecularly crowded aqueous phases will be shown to induce vesicle budding and tubulation (Adv. Mater. Interfaces 4:1600451, 2021). The presented examples will demonstrate that even in the absence of proteins and active processes, the membrane is easily remodeled by simple physicochemical factors.

Meeting-Link: https://hhu.webex.com/hhu/j.php?MTID=m82f0a5abe109e2ff566442ea1df0518d
Meeting-Kennnummer: 2733 835 3116
Passwort: bsAVwxNR729