Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
08:15
Membrane Remodeling of Giant Vesicles in Response to Localized Calcium Ion Gradients
Published on: July 16, 2018
Membrane remodeling: FisB will do in a pinch.
Irene S Tan1, Kumaran S Ramamurthi
1Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Current Biology : CB
|March 23, 2013
Summary
Researchers discovered a novel protein in Bacillus subtilis that drives bacterial membrane fission. This protein utilizes a specific lipid affinity to mediate membrane remodeling during sporulation, a process previously uncharacterized in bacteria.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Membrane remodeling via fission and fusion is crucial in eukaryotic cells.
- The proteins mediating bacterial membrane fission remain largely undiscovered.
- Bacterial sporulation involves significant membrane restructuring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify proteins responsible for bacterial membrane fission.
- To elucidate the mechanism of membrane remodeling during Bacillus subtilis sporulation.
Main Methods:
- Proteomic analysis of Bacillus subtilis during sporulation.
- Lipid-binding assays to identify protein-lipid interactions.
- Genetic manipulation to study protein function in vivo.
Main Results:
- A novel protein in Bacillus subtilis was identified that mediates membrane fission.
- This protein exhibits a specific affinity for a particular membrane lipid.
- The identified protein is essential for membrane remodeling during sporulation.
Conclusions:
- A key protein driving bacterial membrane fission has been discovered.
- Lipid-protein interactions play a critical role in bacterial membrane dynamics.
- This finding opens new avenues for understanding bacterial cell division and sporulation.
Related Concept Videos
02:32Osmoregulation in Fishes
When cells are placed in a hypotonic (low-salt) fluid, they can swell and burst. Meanwhile, cells in a hypertonic solution—with a higher salt concentration—can shrivel and die. How do fish cells avoid these gruesome fates in hypotonic freshwater or hypertonic seawater environments?
01:15Mechanisms 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...
Membrane bending can happen due to intrinsic changes in lipid composition or extrinsic association with different proteins. The proteins involved...
01:22Enlargement of the Plasma Membrane
Cell division and enlargement are processes that require precise control. The control ensures that cell division cannot proceed unless the cell has grown to a specific size. A spherical, dividing cell requires an approximately 1.6X increase in its surface area to double its volume. The secretory pathway also has a significant role in cell membrane enlargement. Secretory vesicles that bud off from the Golgi apparatus and later fuse with the plasma membrane during exocytosis are a major source of...
01:23Membrane Fluidity
Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates loosely attached to one another through chemical interactions. Molecules are generally able to move about in the plane of the membrane, giving the membrane its flexible nature called fluidity. Two other features of the membrane contribute to membrane fluidity: the chemical structure of the phospholipids and the presence of cholesterol in the membrane.
01:26Membrane Fluidity
Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is a relatively...
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is a relatively...
01:28Assembly of the Lipid Bilayer in the ER
Biological membranes are more than just a barrier separating cell cytoplasm from the outside environment. They are highly dynamic and help maintain the integrity and physiological stability of the cells as well as membrane-bound organelles. Membranes also play vital roles in cell-to-cell and intracellular communication.
A large chunk of any biological membrane is composed of phospholipids. These lipids have a heterogeneous distribution across different subcellular organelles and even between...
A large chunk of any biological membrane is composed of phospholipids. These lipids have a heterogeneous distribution across different subcellular organelles and even between...