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Updated: Mar 17, 2026
17:14
In vivo and in vitro Studies of Adaptor-clathrin Interaction
Published on: January 26, 2011
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Clathrin is an Intrinsic Driver of Membrane Fission
Nicoletta Bouzos1, Samuel L Foley2, Ariadni Potamianos1
1Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|March 16, 2026
Summary
Clathrin alone can drive membrane fission during endocytosis, with its ability governed by lattice mechanics, not just protein density. Weakened clathrin assembly enhances fission, revealing key biophysical impacts on vesicle formation.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Endocytosis relies on clathrin-mediated vesicle formation.
- The direct role of clathrin in membrane curvature and fission is debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate clathrin's direct role in membrane fission during endocytosis.
- To determine how clathrin lattice mechanics influence membrane remodeling.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a synthetic system to recruit clathrin to lipid membranes independently of adaptors.
- Employed meso-scale Brownian dynamics simulations.
- Perturbed clathrin assembly in live cells and observed endocytic pit dynamics.
Main Results:
- Clathrin alone induces membrane fission, with mechanics dictating its capacity.
- Stronger lattice assembly suppresses fission; weakened assembly enhances it.
- Adaptor proteins modulate clathrin's fission effects via lattice tuning.
- Cellular perturbations of clathrin assembly alter endocytic pit dynamics.
Conclusions:
- Clathrin lattice mechanics, not protein density, are key to membrane remodeling.
- These findings elucidate clathrin's biophysical impact on endocytosis and vesicle formation.
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