Journal Article

FZJ-2020-03788

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Active particles induce large shape deformations in giant lipid vesicles

Vutukuri, H. R. (Corresponding author) ; Hoore, M. ; Abaurrea-Velasco, C. ; van Buren, L. ; Dutto, A. ; Auth, T.FZJ* ; Fedosov, D. A.FZJ* ; Gompper, G.FZJ* ; Vermant, J.

2020
Nature Publ. Group78092 London [u.a.]

This record in other databases:      

Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/25827  doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2730-x

Abstract: Biological cells generate intricate structures by sculpting their membrane from within to actively sense and respond to external stimuli or to explore their environment1,2,3,4. Several pathogenic bacteria also provide examples of how localized forces strongly deform cell membranes from inside, leading to the invasion of neighbouring healthy mammalian cells5. Giant unilamellar vesicles have been successfully used as a minimal model system with which to mimic biological cells6,7,8,9,10,11, but the realization of a minimal system with localized active internal forces that can strongly deform lipid membranes from within and lead to dramatic shape changes remains challenging. Here we present a combined experimental and simulation study that demonstrates how self-propelled particles enclosed in giant unilamellar vesicles can induce a plethora of non-equilibrium shapes and active membrane fluctuations. Using confocal microscopy, in the experiments we explore the membrane response to local forces exerted by self-phoretic Janus microswimmers. To quantify dynamic membrane changes, we perform Langevin dynamics simulations of active Brownian particles enclosed in thin membrane shells modelled by dynamically triangulated surfaces. The most pronounced shape changes are observed at low and moderate particle loadings, with the formation of tether-like protrusions and highly branched, dendritic structures, whereas at high volume fractions globally deformed vesicle shapes are observed. The resulting state diagram predicts the conditions under which local internal forces generate various membrane shapes. A controlled realization of such distorted vesicle morphologies could improve the design of artificial systems such as small-scale soft robots and synthetic cells.

---

Contributing Institute(s):

1. Theoretische Physik der Lebenden Materie (IBI-5)
2. JARA - HPC (JARA-HPC)

Research Program(s):

1. 552 - Engineering Cell Function (POF3-552) (POF3-552)
2. Hydrodynamics of Active Biological Systems (jiff26_20190501) (jiff26_20190501)

Appears in the scientific report 2020

---

Database coverage:
; ; ; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Chemical Reactions ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Agriculture, Biology and Environmental Sciences ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 40 ; Index Chemicus ; JCR ; NCBI Molecular Biology Database ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection ; Zoological Record

---