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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 5: Proteins

BP 5.1: Talk

Monday, March 23, 2009, 14:30–14:45, ZEU 260

Self-assembly of peripheral membrane proteins to higher-order structures — •Gernot Guigas and Matthias Weiss — Cellular Biophysics Group, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Bioquant Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120 Heidelberg

Membrane proteins take part in a plethora of processes that are of vital importance for cells, e.g. signaling, vesicle formation, or protein translocation. In these processes not only transmembrane proteins are of major importance but also peripheral membrane proteins (which are embedded only in one leaflet of the lipid biayer) are involved. Using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD), we have studied generic properties of peripheral membrane proteins. Owing to the local deformation of the leaflets of the bilayer we observed a transient oligomerization of the proteins embedded in the same and/or opposing leaflets. Moreover, the diffusive mobility of these inclusions was slightly increased as compared to transmembrane proteins. Our results may explain the transient formation of gramicidin channels and the eole/function of peripheral membrane proteins in budding events.