Coupling anisotropic curvature and nematic order : mechanisms of membrane shape remodeling

Ravid, Yoav (author), Penič, Samo (author), Mesarec, Luka (author), Gov, Nir S. (author), Kralj-Iglič, Veronika (author), Iglič, Aleš (author), Drab, Mitja (author)

This study theoretically investigates how anisotropic curved membrane components (CMCs) control vesicle morphology through curvature sensing, nematic alignment, topological defects and volume constraints. By comparing arc- and saddle-shaped CMCs, we identify a rich spectrum of steady-state phases. For fully CMC-covered vesicles, arc-shaped components drive a pearling-to-cylinder transition as nematic interactions strengthen, while on partially CMC-covered vesicles the saddle-shaped CMCs stabilize necks between the convex regions of bare membrane. We map the steady-state shapes of vesicles partially covered by arc- and saddle-shaped CMCs, exposing how different vesicle shapes depend on the interplay between nematic interactions and volume constraints, revealing several novel phases. By investigating the in-plane nematic field, we find that topological defects consistently localize to high-curvature regions, revealing how intrinsic and deviatoric curvature effects cooperate in membrane remodeling. These findings establish a unified framework for understanding how proteins and lipid domains with anisotropic intrinsic curvature shape cellular structures—from organelle morphogenesis to global cell shape.

• Language: English
• Keywords: lipid bilayer, simulations, Monte-Carlo, curvature, cells
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FE - Faculty of Electrical Engineering; ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 8407-8428
• Numbering: Vol. 21, no. 44
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177997
• UDC: 577
• ISSN on article: 1744-6848
• DOI: 10.1039/D5SM00620A
• COBISS.SI-ID: 248952579
• Publication date in RUL: 15.01.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Soft matter
• Shortened title: Soft matter
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• ISSN: 1744-6848
• COBISS.SI-ID: 23741223

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC 3.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
• Description: You are free to reproduce and redistribute the material in any medium or format. You are free to remix, transform, and build upon the material. You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. You may not use the material for commercial purposes. You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: lipidni dvosloj, simulacije, Monte-Carlo, ukrivljenost, celice