Biophysical forces in membrane bending and traffic

• Published in: Current opinion in cell biology Vol. 65; pp. 72 - 77
• Main Authors: Day, Kasey J., Stachowiak, Jeanne C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2020
• Subjects: Actins - metabolism; Biophysical Phenomena; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport - metabolism; Macromolecular Substances - metabolism; Protein Transport
• ISSN: 0955-0674; 1879-0410
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2020.02.017

Intracellular trafficking requires extensive changes in membrane morphology. Cells use several distinct molecular factors and physical cues to remodel membranes. Here, we highlight recent advances in identifying the biophysical mechanisms of membrane curvature generation. In particular, we focus on the cooperation of molecular and physical drivers of membrane bending during three stages of vesiculation: budding, cargo selection, and scission. Taken together, the studies reviewed here emphasize that, rather than a single dominant mechanism, several mechanisms typically work in parallel during each step of membrane remodeling. Important challenges for the future of this field are to understand how multiple mechanisms work together synergistically and how a series of stochastic events can be combined to achieve a deterministic result—assembly of the trafficking vesicle.