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Related Concept Videos

SNAREs and Membrane Fusion01:43

SNAREs and Membrane Fusion

Once a transport vesicle has recognized its target organelle, the vesicular membrane needs to fuse with the target membrane to unload the cargo. Transmembrane proteins called SNAREs present on organelle membranes and their vesicles, mediate vesicle fusion.
SNAREs exist in pairs that symmetrically interact and catalyze the fusion of the lipid bilayers in vesicle and target organelle. v-SNARE in the vesicle membrane are single polypeptide chains that bind to a complementary t-SNARE, composed of 2...
Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation

Different physical properties of lipids and proteins allow them to localize and form distinct islands or domains in the membrane. Some membrane domains are formed due to protein-protein interactions, whereas others are formed due to the presence of specific lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols—for example, large proteins, such as bacteriorhodopsin, aggregate and create distinct domains.
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with cytoskeletal...
Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane01:26

Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane

Proteins and neurotransmitters in secretory vesicles can be released from a cell upon vesicle docking, priming, and fusion with the plasma membrane. Vesicles are docked and primed in preparation for the quick exocytosis of their contents in response to a stimulus. The fusion process is mainly carried out by a SNAP Receptor or SNARE complex, consisting of synaptobrevin, syntaxin-1, and SNAP-25.
In 1993, Jim Rothman proposed that the antiparallel pairing of vesicular and transmembrane SNAREs, or...
Fluid Mosaic Model01:19

Fluid Mosaic Model

Scientists identified the plasma membrane in the 1890s and its principal chemical components (lipids and proteins) by 1915. The model for plasma membrane structure, proposed in 1935 by Hugh Davson and James Danielli, was the first model to be widely accepted in the scientific community. The model was based on the plasma membrane's "railroad track" appearance in early electron micrographs. Davson and Danielli theorized that the plasma membrane's structure resembled a sandwich with the analogy of...
Fluid Mosaic Model01:34

Fluid Mosaic Model

The fluid mosaic model was first proposed as a visual representation of research observations. The model comprises the composition and dynamics of membranes and serves as a foundation for future membrane-related studies. The model depicts the structure of the plasma membrane with a variety of components, which include phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These integral molecules are loosely bound, defining the cell’s border and providing fluidity for optimal function.LipidsThe most...
Mechanisms of Membrane-bending01:15

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending

The living membranes are flexible due to their fluid mosaic nature; however, their bending into different shapes is an active process regulated by specific lipids and proteins. The membrane bending can be transient as seen in vesicles or stable for a long time as in microvilli. Cells regulate the size, location, and duration of the membrane curvature.
Membrane bending can happen due to intrinsic changes in lipid composition or extrinsic association with different proteins. The proteins involved...

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A Model Membrane Platform for Reconstituting Mitochondrial Membrane Dynamics
10:31

A Model Membrane Platform for Reconstituting Mitochondrial Membrane Dynamics

Published on: September 2, 2020

Model systems for membrane fusion.

Hana Robson Marsden1, Itsuro Tomatsu, Alexander Kros

  • 1Leiden Institute of Chemistry, University Leiden, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Chemical Society Reviews
|December 15, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Membrane fusion is vital for life, from reproduction to intracellular transport. This review explores its complex mechanisms using artificial models to clarify molecular processes.

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SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy
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SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy

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Detergent-free Ultrafast Reconstitution of Membrane Proteins into Lipid Bilayers Using Fusogenic Complementary-charged Proteoliposomes.
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A Model Membrane Platform for Reconstituting Mitochondrial Membrane Dynamics
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SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy
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SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy

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Detergent-free Ultrafast Reconstitution of Membrane Proteins into Lipid Bilayers Using Fusogenic Complementary-charged Proteoliposomes.
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Detergent-free Ultrafast Reconstitution of Membrane Proteins into Lipid Bilayers Using Fusogenic Complementary-charged Proteoliposomes.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Membrane fusion is essential for fundamental biological processes, including fertilization, intracellular transport, and viral infection.
  • The precise molecular mechanisms underlying membrane fusion remain incompletely understood due to cellular complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of hypothesized membrane fusion mechanisms.
  • To review techniques used for investigating membrane fusion.
  • To present and discuss artificial model systems for studying controlled fusion processes.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of hypothesized membrane fusion mechanisms.
  • Analysis of experimental techniques employed in membrane fusion research.
  • Evaluation of various artificial membrane model systems (non-targeted and targeted).

Main Results:

  • Hypothesized mechanisms of membrane fusion are presented.
  • Key techniques for studying membrane fusion are outlined.
  • A range of artificial model systems are discussed, highlighting their utility in elucidating fusion processes.

Conclusions:

  • Artificial model systems are crucial for dissecting the molecular intricacies of membrane fusion.
  • Further research using these models will advance our understanding of biological and pathological fusion events.
  • Future developments in model systems promise new insights and applications.