Beales, PA, Ciani, B and Cleasby, AJ (2015) Nature's lessons in design: nanomachines to scaffold, remodel and shape membrane compartments. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 17 (24). 15489 - 15507. ISSN 1463-9076
Abstract
Compartmentalisation of cellular processes is fundamental to regulation of metabolism in Eukaryotic organisms and is primarily provided by membrane-bound organelles. These organelles are dynamic structures whose membrane barriers are continually shaped, remodelled and scaffolded by a rich variety of highly sophisticated protein complexes. Towards the goal of bottom-up assembly of compartmentalised protocells in synthetic biology, we believe it will be important to harness and reconstitute the membrane shaping and sculpting characteristics of natural cells. We review different in vitro membrane models and how biophysical investigations of minimal systems combined with appropriate theoretical modelling have been used to gain new insights into the intricate mechanisms of these membrane nanomachines, paying particular attention to proteins involved in membrane fusion, fission and cytoskeletal scaffolding processes. We argue that minimal machineries need to be developed and optimised for employment in artificial protocell systems rather than the complex environs of a living organism. Thus, well-characterised minimal components might be predictably combined into functional, compartmentalised protocellular materials that can be engineered for wide-ranging applications.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2015, The Owner Societies. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Biological Sciences (Leeds) > School of Molecular and Cellular Biology (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Chemistry (Leeds) > Physical Chemistry (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 26 Aug 2015 15:12 |
Last Modified: | 17 Mar 2016 13:10 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c5cp00480b |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Royal Society of Chemistry |
Identification Number: | 10.1039/c5cp00480b |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:85026 |