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Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles

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Membrane Tubulation with a Biomembrane Force Probe.

Lancelot Pincet¹, Frédéric Pincet²

¹Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, F-91405 Orsay, France.

|December 22, 2023

Summary

Researchers developed a cost-effective micromanipulation method using a Biomembrane Force Probe (BFP) to create and study cellular membrane tubes, offering an alternative to optical tweezers for analyzing cell geometry.

Keywords:

BFP GUV force micromanipulations tubulation

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Area of Science:

Biophysics
Cell Biology
Biochemistry

Background:

Cellular tubulation forms membrane tubes crucial for transport and communication.
High curvature of these tubes attracts geometry-sensing proteins.
In vitro tubulation typically uses optical tweezers and micromanipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose a cost-effective micromanipulation technique for in vitro membrane tubulation.
To replace optical tweezers with a Biomembrane Force Probe (BFP).
To characterize the dimensions and energetics of BFP-formed membrane tubes.

Main Methods:

Utilizing micromanipulation with a Biomembrane Force Probe (BFP).
Employing a biotinylated erythrocyte as a nanospring for force measurement (1 pN to 1 nN).
Forming and characterizing membrane tubes from giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs).

Main Results:

Successfully formed membrane tubes using only micromanipulation and BFP.
Enabled controlled force measurements during tube formation.
Provided a detailed characterization of tube dimensions and energetics.

Conclusions:

The BFP offers a viable and cost-effective alternative to optical tweezers for studying membrane tubulation.
This method facilitates the investigation of molecular interactions and cellular processes involving membrane geometry.
The study highlights the versatility of the BFP beyond its original applications.