Biology subjects

Bassereau, P.

Publications and source records attributed to Bassereau, P..

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

bioRxiv2019

Human ESCRT-III Polymers Assemble on Positively Curved Membranes and Induce Helical Membrane Tube Formation

Endosomal sorting complexes required for transport-III (ESCRT-III) are thought to assemble in vivo inside membrane structures with a negative Gaussian curvature. How membrane shape influences ESCRT-III polymerization and conversely how ESCRT-III polymers shape membranes is still unclear. Here, we used human core ESCRT-III proteins, CHMP4B, CHMP2A, CHMP2B and CHMP3 to address this issue in vitro by combining membrane nanotube pulling experiments, cryo-electron microscopy, cryo-electron tomography and high-speed AFM. We show that CHMP4B filaments bind preferentially to flat membranes or to membrane tubes with a positive mean curvature. Both CHMP2B and CHMP2A/CHMP3 assemble on positively curved membrane tubes, the latter winding around the tubes. Although combinations of CHMP4B/CHMP2B and CHMP4B/CHMP2A/CHMP3 are recruited to the neck of pulled membrane tubes, they also reshape large unilamellar vesicles into helical membrane tubes with a pipe surface shape. Sub-tomogram averaging reveals that the filaments assemble parallel to the tube axis with some local perpendicular connections, highlighting the particular mechanical stresses imposed by ESCRT-III to stabilize the corkscrew-like membrane architecture. Our results thus underline the versatile membrane remodeling activity of ESCRT-III that may be a general feature of ESCRT-III required for all or selected cellular membrane remodeling processes.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2019

The ESCRT-III Isoforms CHMP2A And CHMP2B Display Different Effects On Membranes Upon Polymerization

ESCRT-III proteins are involved in many membrane remodeling processes including multivesicular body biogenesis as first discovered in yeast. In humans, CHMP2 exists as two potential isoforms, CHMP2A and CHMP2B, but their physical characteristics have not been compared yet. Here, we use a combination of technics on biomimetic systems and purified proteins to study their affinity and effects on membranes. We establish that CHMP2B binding is enhanced in the presence of PI(4,5)P2 lipids. In contrast, CHMP2A does not display lipid specificity and requires CHMP3 for binding significantly to membranes. On the micrometer scale and at moderate bulk concentrations, CHMP2B forms a reticular structure on membranes whereas CHMP2A (+CHMP3) binds homogeneously. Eventually, CHMP2A and CHMP2B unexpectedly induce different mechanical effects to membranes: CHMP2B strongly rigidifies them while CHMP2A (+CHMP3) has no significant effect. Altogether, we conclude that CHMP2B and CHMP2A cannot be considered as isoforms and might thus contribute differently to membrane remodeling processes.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2018

Adhesion to nanofibers drives cell membrane remodeling through 1D wetting

The shape of cellular membranes is highly regulated by a set of conserved mechanisms. These mechanisms can be manipulated by bacterial pathogens to infect cells. Human endothelial cell plasma membrane remodeling by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis is thought to be essential during the blood phase of meningococcal infection, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here we show that plasma membrane remodeling occurs independently of F-actin, along meningococcal type IV pili fibers, by a novel physical mechanism we term \" onedimensional\" membrane wetting. We provide a theoretical model that gives the physical basis of 1D wetting and show that this mechanism occurs in model membranes interacting with model nanofibers, and in human cells interacting with model extracellular matrices. It is thus a new general principle driving the interaction of cells with their environment at the nanoscale that is diverted by meningococcus during infection.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2018

A new actin depolymerase: a catch bond Myosin 1 motor

The regulation of actin dynamics is essential for various cellular processes. Former evidence suggests a correlation between the function of non-conventional myosin motors and actin dynamics. We investigate the contribution of myosin1b to actin dynamics using sliding motility assays. We observe that sliding on myosin1b immobilized or bound to a fluid bilayer enhances actin depolymerization at the barbed end, while sliding on myosin II, although 5 times faster, has no effect. This work reveals a non-conventional myosin motor as a new type of depolymerase and points to its singular interactions with the actin barbed end.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2018

Ezrin enrichment on curved membranes requires a specific conformation or interaction with a curvature-sensitive partner

One challenge in current cell biology is to decipher the biophysical mechanisms governing protein enrichment on curved membranes and the resulting membrane deformation. The ERM protein ezrin is abundant and associated with cellular membranes that are flat or with positive or negative curvatures. Using in vitro and cell biology approaches, we assess mechanisms of ezrins enrichment on curved membranes. We evidence that ezrin (ezrinWT) and its phosphomimetic mutant T567D (ezrinTD) do not deform membranes but self-assemble anti-parallelly, zipping adjacent membranes. EzrinTDs specific conformation reduces intermolecular ezrin interactions, allows binding to actin filaments, and promotes ezrin binding to positively curved membranes. While neither ezrinTD nor ezrinWT senses negative membrane curvature alone, we demonstrate that interacting with curvature sensors I-BAR-domain proteins facilitates ezrin enrichment in negatively curved membrane protrusions. Overall, our work reveals new mechanisms, specific conformation or binding to a curvature sensor partner, for targeting curvature insensitive proteins to curved membranes.

biophysics↗