Understanding formation of caveolar rosettes

Caveolae, the flask-shaped pits covered by caveolin-cavin coats, are abundant features of the plasma membrane of many cells. Besides appearing as single membrane indentations, caveolae are organized as superstructures in the form of rosette-like clusters, whose mechanism of assembly and biological functions have been elusive. Here we propose that clustering of caveolae is driven by forces originating from the elastic energy of membrane bending deformations and membrane tension. We substantiate this mechanism by computational modeling, which recovers the unique shapes observed for the most ubiquitous caveolar clusters. We support the agreement between the calculated and observed configurations by electron tomography of caveolar clusters. The model predicts, quantitatively, the experimentally assessable dependences of caveolar clustering on membrane tension and on the degree of polymerization of the caveolin-cavin coats. We propose that the role played by large caveolar clusters in cells is to substantially reinforce the mechano-protective function of caveolae.

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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84190160947

Meeting ID: 841 9016 0947