Coarse Grained Simulations Suggest the Epsin N-Terminal Homology Domain Can Sense Membrane Curvature Without its Terminal Amphipathic Helix
Author(s)
Belessiotis-Richards, A
Higgins, S
Sansom, MSP
Alexander-Katz, A
Stevens, Molly
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Nanoscale membrane curvature is a common feature in cell biology required for functions such as endocytosis, exocytosis and cell migration. These processes require the cytoskeleton to exert forces on the membrane to deform it. Cytosolic proteins contain specific motifs which bind to the membrane, connecting it to the internal cytoskeletal machinery. These motifs often bind charged phosphatidylinositol phosphate lipids present in the cell membrane which play significant roles in signaling. These lipids are important for membrane deforming processes, such as endocytosis, but much remains unknown about their role in the sensing of membrane nanocurvature by protein domains. Using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, we investigated the interaction of a model curvature active protein domain, the epsin N-terminal homology domain (ENTH), with curved lipid membranes. The combination of anionic lipids (phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and phosphatidylserine) within the membrane, protein backbone flexibility, and structural changes within the domain were found to affect the domain's ability to sense, bind, and localize with nanoscale precision at curved membrane regions. The findings suggest that the ENTH domain can sense membrane curvature without the presence of its terminal amphipathic α helix <i>via</i> another structural region we have denoted as H3, re-emphasizing the critical relationship between nanoscale membrane curvature and protein function.
Date Acceptance
2020-11-17
Citation
ACS Nano, 14 (12), pp.16919-6928
ISSN
1936-0851
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Start Page
16919
End Page
6928
Journal / Book Title
ACS Nano
Volume
14
Issue
12
Copyright Statement
© 2020 American Chemical Society
License URL
Sponsor
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Commission of the European Communities
Wellcome Trust
Grant Number
EP/L015277/1
ERC-2013-CoG-616417
098411/Z/12/Z
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chemistry, Physical
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chemistry
Science & Technology - Other Topics
Materials Science
membrane curvature
phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-bisphosphate
molecular dynamics
coarse-grained simulations
epsin N-terminal homology domain
ENDOCYTOSIS
GENERATION
PEPTIDES
INSERTION
PROTEINS
DEPENDS
BINDING
MODEL
coarse-grained simulations
epsin N-terminal homology domain
membrane curvature
molecular dynamics
phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Notes
16919–16928
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2020-12-10