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Interleaflet clear space is reduced in the membrane of COP I and COP II-coated buds/vesicles
L Orci1, R Schekman, A Perrelet
1Department of Morphology, University of Geneva Medical Center, Switzerland.
Insights
Vesicles mediate intracellular transport by budding from one compartment to fuse with another. Researchers found that the membrane of these coated vesicles, from the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex, is thinner than surrounding membranes, suggesting compositional changes during budding.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Membrane Trafficking
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Intracellular transport relies on vesicle budding and fusion between membrane-bound compartments.
- The endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex are key organelles involved in protein modification and transport.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the biophysical properties of vesicle membranes during intracellular transport.
- To determine if membrane composition changes during the formation of COP I and COP II-coated vesicles.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of membrane structure using electron microscopy.
- Comparison of interleaflet clear space in coated versus non-coated membranes.
Main Results:
- COP I and COP II-coated vesicles exhibit a thinner interleaflet clear space compared to parental membranes.
- This thinner space suggests a distinct membrane composition within the budding vesicles.
Conclusions:
- The membrane bilayer undergoes compositional changes during vesicle budding.
- These changes influence membrane structure and facilitate intracellular transport.
Abstract:
Intracellular transfers between membrane-bound compartments occur through vesicles that bud from a donor compartment to fuse subsequently with an acceptor membrane. We report that the membrane that delimits COP I or COP II-coated buds/vesicles from the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complex has a thinner interleaflet clear space as compared with the surrounding, noncoated parental membrane. This change is compatible with a compositional change of the membrane bilayer during the budding process.