From Vesicles to Protocells: The Roles of Amphiphilic Molecules
It is very challenging to construct protocells from molecular assemblies. An important step in this challenge is the achievement of vesicle dynamics that are relevant to cellular functions, such as membrane trafficking and self-reproduction, using amphiphilic molecules. Soft matter physics will pla...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2015-03-01
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| Series: | Life |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/5/1/651 |
| _version_ | 1828117665123663872 |
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| author | Yuka Sakuma Masayuki Imai |
| author_facet | Yuka Sakuma Masayuki Imai |
| author_sort | Yuka Sakuma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It is very challenging to construct protocells from molecular assemblies. An important step in this challenge is the achievement of vesicle dynamics that are relevant to cellular functions, such as membrane trafficking and self-reproduction, using amphiphilic molecules. Soft matter physics will play an important role in the development of vesicles that have these functions. Here, we show that simple binary phospholipid vesicles have the potential to reproduce the relevant functions of adhesion, pore formation and self-reproduction of vesicles, by coupling the lipid geometries (spontaneous curvatures) and the phase separation. This achievement will elucidate the pathway from molecular assembly to cellular life. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:19:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ca26fb11f65482a9389e59eedda8bad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:19:10Z |
| publishDate | 2015-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ca26fb11f65482a9389e59eedda8bad2022-12-22T04:22:18ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292015-03-015165167510.3390/life5010651life5010651From Vesicles to Protocells: The Roles of Amphiphilic MoleculesYuka Sakuma0Masayuki Imai1Department of Physics, Tohoku University, Aoba, Sendai 980-8578, JapanDepartment of Physics, Tohoku University, Aoba, Sendai 980-8578, JapanIt is very challenging to construct protocells from molecular assemblies. An important step in this challenge is the achievement of vesicle dynamics that are relevant to cellular functions, such as membrane trafficking and self-reproduction, using amphiphilic molecules. Soft matter physics will play an important role in the development of vesicles that have these functions. Here, we show that simple binary phospholipid vesicles have the potential to reproduce the relevant functions of adhesion, pore formation and self-reproduction of vesicles, by coupling the lipid geometries (spontaneous curvatures) and the phase separation. This achievement will elucidate the pathway from molecular assembly to cellular life.http://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/5/1/651protocellvesicledeformationspontaneous curvaturephase separationadhesionpore formationself-reproduction |
| spellingShingle | Yuka Sakuma Masayuki Imai From Vesicles to Protocells: The Roles of Amphiphilic Molecules Life protocell vesicle deformation spontaneous curvature phase separation adhesion pore formation self-reproduction |
| title | From Vesicles to Protocells: The Roles of Amphiphilic Molecules |
| title_full | From Vesicles to Protocells: The Roles of Amphiphilic Molecules |
| title_fullStr | From Vesicles to Protocells: The Roles of Amphiphilic Molecules |
| title_full_unstemmed | From Vesicles to Protocells: The Roles of Amphiphilic Molecules |
| title_short | From Vesicles to Protocells: The Roles of Amphiphilic Molecules |
| title_sort | from vesicles to protocells the roles of amphiphilic molecules |
| topic | protocell vesicle deformation spontaneous curvature phase separation adhesion pore formation self-reproduction |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/5/1/651 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yukasakuma fromvesiclestoprotocellstherolesofamphiphilicmolecules AT masayukiimai fromvesiclestoprotocellstherolesofamphiphilicmolecules |