Physical Review Letters · 2007 · 202 citations · 18 references
Natural SciencesBiophysicsCell BiologyMembrane BiophysicsMolecular BiophysicsMolecular PhysicsBiological MembranesMembrane DynamicsMembrane FusionMembrane MechanicsMembrane ThermodynamicsVesicle FusionDissipative DynamicsDissipative Particle DynamicsFusion KineticsMembrane Fusion EnergeticsMembrane TensionMembrane Tension Effects On FusionParticle DynamicsTime Scales
Dissipative particle dynamics simulations are employed to study bilayer membrane fusion. The authors introduce new DPD parameters that generate an energy barrier for lipid flips between adhering membranes and monitor numerous fusion events between a vesicle and a planar membrane. Fusion time scales vary exponentially with membrane tension, indicating a ~10 kBT barrier for intermembrane lipid flips and a second size‑dependent barrier for nucleating a small hemifused patch.
Fusion of bilayer membranes is studied via dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. A new set of DPD parameters is introduced which leads to an energy barrier for flips of lipid molecules between adhering membranes. A large number of fusion events is monitored for a vesicle in contact with a planar membrane. Several time scales of the fusion process are found to depend exponentially on the membrane tension. This implies an energy barrier of about 10k(B)T for intermembrane flips and a second size-dependent barrier for the nucleation of a small hemifused membrane patch.
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Phospholipid Bilayers: Physical Principles and Models
Gregor Ceve, Derek Marsh · Journal of Cell Science · 1987 · 513 citations
Tension-induced fusion of bilayer membranes and vesicles
Julian Shillcock, Reinhard Lipowsky · Nature Materials · 2005 · 404 citations · Full text