Membrane Nanomechanics Laboratory

Group leader
Vadim Frolov
Phone
+34 946 018 165
Address

Biofisika Institute (CSIC-UPV/EHU)
Science Park of the UPV/EHU
Barrio Sarriena s/n. 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia (Spain)

Research goal

Morphological flexibility of cell membranes provides the foundation for the spatial organisation of living cells. The signature morphologies of cellular endomembrane systems are created at the nanoscale where specialised proteolipid complexes assemble to control membrane curvature, shape and topology. We apply novel experimental approaches combining nanomanipulations, electrophysiology and time-resolved fluorescence, confocal and TIRF microscopy to characterise mechanical properties and dynamics of biomimetic and cell membranes at the nanoscale, with particular attention to topological membrane remodelling, fusion and fission, dynamics of the force- and geometry-induced unmixing of membrane components and diffusion in complex media. We reconstitute the morphological activity of the prototype proteins controlling membrane remodelling, such as dynamin and matrix protein of enveloped viruses, using nanofabricated lipid templates to resolve subtle features of the proteolipid interactions.

Group members
CSIC Scientist / Technical Director BRALM / Vicedirector of IBF
Ikerbasque Research Professor
Publications

Bashkirov P.V., Chekashkina K.V., Shnyrova V.A., Frolov V.A.

Electro-physiological methods to detection of membrane leakage and hemifission by Dynamin1. Methods in Molecular Biology, 2020, in press.

Espadas J., Pendin D., Bocanegra R., Escalada A., Misticoni G., Trevisan T., Velasco del Olmo A., Montagna A., Bova S., Ibarra B., Kuzmin P.I., Bashkirov P.V., Shnyrova A.V., Frolov V.A.*, Daga A.*

Dynamic constriction and fission of endoplasmic reticulum membranes by reticulon. Nat. Comm, 2019, 10(1):5327-31

Velasco del Olmo A., Ormaetxea Gisasola J., Martinez Galvez J., Vera Lillo J., Shnyrova A.V.

Combining patch-clamping and fluorescence microscopy for quantitative reconstitution of cellular membrane processes with Giant Suspended Bilayers. Sci. Rep., 2019, 9(1):7255

Bashkirov, P.V., Frolov V.A.

Mechano-chemistry and catalysis of membrane fission: lessons from dynamins. J.Phys.D. Appl.Phys., 2018, 51: 343001