Membrane deformation is the first step involved in cellular trafficking (endocytosis, exocytosis), host-pathogen interactions, antimicrobial activity as well as pathogenicity caused by amyloids during the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. A plethora of complex membrane-protein interactions are involved during the initial membrane deformation and bud shape generation in endocytosis, during membrane permeabilization by antimicrobial peptides or by amyloids in neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, to study complex processes on cell membranes, and to elucidate the relationship between membrane binding proteins and the emerging importance of surrounding lipids, a bottom-up reconstitution of functional complex cellular machinery in vitro is a promising approach to decipher the complex mechanism that is otherwise difficult to study in cells.

 

Broadly, the biophysical and biochemical investigation of the mechanism of membrane deformation by interaction/assembly of various interacting proteins will be addressed via an inter-disciplinary approach involving experimental tools and concepts from Biochemistry, Biophysics and Cell Biology.

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