Membrane Nanomechanics

Group leader
Vadim Frolov
Phone
+34 946 01 8165
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
Research Assistant
Ikerbasque Research Fellow
Postdoctoral Fellow
CSIC Scientist / Technical Director BRALM / Vicedirector of IBF
Ikerbasque Research Professor
Publications

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Bashkirov PV, Kuzmin PI, Vera Lillo J, Frolov VA
Molecular Shape Solution for Mesoscopic Remodeling of Cellular Membranes
Annu Rev Biophys. 2022 May 9;51:473-497
doi: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-011422-100054

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Ivchenkov DV, Kuzmin PI, Galimzyanov TR, Shnyrova AV, Bashkirov PV, Frolov VA
Nonlinear material and ionic transport through membrane nanotubes
Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr. 2021 Oct 1;1863(10):183677
doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183677

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Bashkirov PV, Kuzmin PI, Chekashkina K, Arrasate P, Vera Lillo J, Shnyrova AV, Frolov VA
Reconstitution and real-time quantification of membrane remodeling by single proteins and protein complexes
Nat Protoc. 2020 Aug;15(8):2443-2469
doi: 10.1038/s41596-020-0337-1

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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 Mol Biol. 2020:2159:141-162.
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0676-6_11

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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 Commun. 2019 Nov 22;10(1):5327.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13327-7

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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 May 10;9(1):7255.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43561-4

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

The 2018 biomembrane curvature and remodeling roadmap: Mechano-chemistry and catalysis of membrane fission: lessons from dynamins.
J Phys D Appl Phys. 2018 Aug;51(34):343001.
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6463/aacb98