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Updated: May 18, 2026

Detecting and Characterizing Protein Self-Assembly In Vivo by Flow Cytometry

Detecting and Characterizing Protein Self-Assembly In Vivo by Flow Cytometry

Published on: July 17, 2019

Geometry sensing by self-organized protein patterns.

Jakob Schweizer¹, Martin Loose, Mike Bonny

¹Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|September 6, 2012

Summary

Cells sense their size using protein self-organization. This study shows the Min system protein pattern adapts to 2D geometry, revealing how spatial confinement influences cellular processes without a 3D compartment.

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Last Updated: May 18, 2026

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Area of Science:

Cellular biology
Biophysics
Biochemistry

Background:

Proteins can organize cellular space larger than their dimensions.
Intracellular space changes influence biochemical reactions, enabling cells to sense size and shape.
Knowledge gaps exist regarding how geometrical boundaries affect protein self-organization patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate the influence of spatial confinement on protein self-organization using a minimal system approach.
Determine how geometrical boundaries affect the spatiotemporal patterns of the Min system in vitro.
Understand the role of the Min system in cellular spatial sensing.

Main Methods:

Used purified proteins and photolithographically patterned membranes for in vitro experiments.
Studied the self-organization of the Min system, a bacterial cytokinesis regulator.
Employed a computational model to quantitatively analyze experimental findings.

Main Results:

The Min protein pattern responded to the 2D geometry of the membrane patch.
Min protein waves traveled along the longest axis of the membrane patch, mimicking 3D cell behavior.
Persistent binding of MinE to the membrane was identified as crucial for geometry sensing.

Conclusions:

The Min system can sense geometry in 2D, not requiring a 3D compartment for spatial sensing.
Geometrical confinement influences biochemical patterns in nonlinear reaction-diffusion systems.
Findings provide insights into the interplay between confinement and cellular spatial regulation.