Multiple stalk formation as a pathway of defect-induced membrane fusion
Soft Condensed Matter
2009-11-10 v1 Statistical Mechanics
Biological Physics
Cell Behavior
Subcellular Processes
Abstract
We propose that the first stage of membrane fusion need not be the formation of a single stalk. Instead, we consider a scenario for defect-induced membrane fusion that proceeds cooperatively via multiple stalk formation. The defects (stalks or pores) attract each other via membrane-mediated capillary interactions that result in a condensation transition of the defects. The resulting dense phase of stalks corresponds to the so-called fusion intermediate.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0403702,
title = {Multiple stalk formation as a pathway of defect-induced membrane fusion},
author = {D. B. Lukatsky and Daan Frenkel},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0403702},
year = {2009}
}