Membrane fluctuations mediate lateral interaction between cadherin bonds

Fenz SF, Bihr T, Schmidt D, Merkel R, Seifert U, Sengupta K, Smith AS (2017)

Publication Language: English

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

Nature Physics Nature Publishing Group

Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

Book Volume: 13

Pages Range: 906-913

Journal Issue: 9

URI: http://www.nature.com/nphys/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nphys4138.html?WT.feed_name=subjects_physics

DOI: 10.1038/NPHYS4138

Abstract

The integrity of living tissues is maintained by adhesion domains of trans-bonds formed between cadherin proteins residing on opposing membranes of neighbouring cells. These domains are stabilized by lateral cis-interactions between the cadherins on the same cell. However, the origin of cis-interactions remains perplexing since they are detected only in the context of trans-bonds. By combining experimental, analytical and computational approaches, we identify bending fluctuations of membranes as a source of long-range cis-interactions, and a regulator of trans-interactions. Specifically, nanometric membrane bending and fluctuations introduce cooperative effects that modulate the affinity and binding/unbinding rates for trans-dimerization, dramatically affecting the nucleation and growth of adhesion domains. Importantly, this regulation relies on physical principles and not on details of protein-protein interactions. These omnipresent fluctuations can thus act as a generic control mechanism in all types of cell adhesion, suggesting a hitherto unknown physiological role for recently identified active fluctuations of cellular membranes.

Authors with CRIS profile

Timo Bihr Physics Underlying Life Science Daniel Schmidt Physics Underlying Life Science Ana-Suncana Smith Physics Underlying Life Science

Additional Organisation(s)

Exzellenz-Cluster Engineering of Advanced Materials

Related research project(s)

Biological Membranes in Action: A Unified Approach to Complexation, Scaffolding and Active Transport (MEMBRANESACT) Oct. 1, 2013 - Sept. 30, 2019 GRK 1962: Dynamische Wechselwirkungen an Biologischen Membranen – von Einzelmolekülen zum Gewebe April 1, 2014 - Sept. 30, 2018 Computational Solutions in the Life Sciences: The Importance of Molecular Flexibility (CompSols-MolFlex) July 15, 2014 - July 14, 2018

Involved external institutions

Universität Stuttgart DE Germany (DE) Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg DE Germany (DE) Forschungszentrum Jülich / Research Centre Jülich (FZJ) DE Germany (DE) Aix-Marseille University / Aix-Marseille Université FR France (FR)

How to cite

APA:

Fenz, S.F., Bihr, T., Schmidt, D., Merkel, R., Seifert, U., Sengupta, K., & Smith, A.-S. (2017). Membrane fluctuations mediate lateral interaction between cadherin bonds. Nature Physics, 13(9), 906-913. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NPHYS4138

MLA:

Fenz, Susanne F., et al. "Membrane fluctuations mediate lateral interaction between cadherin bonds." Nature Physics 13.9 (2017): 906-913.

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