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Related Concept Videos

SNAREs and Membrane Fusion01:43

SNAREs and Membrane Fusion

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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...
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Protein Dynamics in Living Cells01:19

Protein Dynamics in Living Cells

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Different fluorescence-based techniques are used to study the protein dynamics in living cells. These techniques include FRAP, FRET, and PET.
Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a fluorescent-protein-based detection technique used to quantify protein movement rates within the cell. This method exposes a small portion of the cell to an intense laser beam. The laser beam causes permanent photobleaching of the fluorophore-tagged proteins in the exposed region. As the bleached...
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Protein Diffusion in the Membrane01:24

Protein Diffusion in the Membrane

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Proteins show rotational as well as lateral diffusion across the membrane. The lateral diffusion of proteins was confirmed through the cell fusion experiment where mouse and human cells were fused, resulting in hybrid cells. When the human and mouse cells fused, the specific membrane proteins on human and mouse cells were marked with the red and green-fluorescent markers, respectively. Initially, the red and green fluorescence was located on the respective hemisphere of the cell. As time...
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Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

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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.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 17, 2025

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

Published on: August 24, 2016

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Membrane fusion studied by colloidal probes.

Hannes Witt1,2, Filip Savić1, Sarah Verbeek1

  • 1Institute for Physical Chemistry, University of Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.

European Biophysics Journal : EBJ
|February 18, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Colloidal probes offer a novel method for studying membrane fusion, enabling high-throughput visualization of biological processes. This review highlights their application in advanced membrane fusion assays, complementing traditional methods.

Keywords:
Colloidal probe microscopySNARESupported lipid bilayer

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cell Biology
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Vesicle-based assays are standard for studying membrane fusion but have limitations.
  • Membrane-coated colloidal probes offer a 3D geometry with benefits of solid-supported membranes.
  • These probes facilitate high-throughput visualization with minimal fluorescent labeling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent applications of colloidal probes in membrane fusion studies.
  • To introduce a novel optical detection assay for membrane fusion using colloidal probes.
  • To discuss the integration of colloidal probes with advanced microscopy techniques for detailed fusion analysis.

Main Methods:

  • Review of classical vesicle-based fusion assays.
  • Development and description of an optical detection assay for membrane fusion using membrane-coated glass microspheres.
  • Integration of colloidal probes with atomic force microscopy and optical tweezers.

Main Results:

  • Colloidal probes provide a powerful model system for visualizing dynamic biological processes.
  • The novel assay enables optical detection of fusion between membrane-coated microspheres in a quasi-2D assembly.
  • Combining colloidal probes with AFM and optical tweezers allows for detailed access to the membrane fusion process.

Conclusions:

  • Membrane-coated colloidal probes are versatile tools for advancing membrane fusion research.
  • The presented optical assay and integration with advanced microscopy offer new avenues for studying membrane dynamics.
  • Colloidal probes enhance throughput and reduce reliance on fluorescent labels in fusion studies.