Cup-to-vesicle transition of a fluid membrane with spontaneous curvature

Abstract

The disk-to-vesicle transition of a fluid membrane with no spontaneous curvature is well described by the competition between edge line and curvature energies. However, the transition of asymmetric membranes with spontaneous curvatures is not yet understood. In this study, the shape of the fluid membrane patch with a constant spontaneous curvature and its closing transition to a vesicle is investigated using theory and meshless membrane simulations. It is confirmed that the (meta)stable and transient membranes are well approximated by spherical caps. The membrane Gaussian modulus can be estimated from the cup shape of membrane patches as well as from the transition probability, although the latter estimate gives slightly smaller negative values. Furthermore, the self-assembly dynamics of membranes are presented, in which smaller vesicles are formed at higher spontaneous curvatures, higher edge line tension, and lower density.

8 pages, 7 figures

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• Binding of curvature-inducing proteins onto tethered vesicles
• Complex Self-Assembly from Simple Interaction Rules in Model Colloidal Mixtures
• Membrane domain formation induced by binding/unbinding of curvature-inducing molecules onto both membrane surfaces
• Detachment of fluid membrane from substrate and vesiculation
• Virtual bending method to calculate bending rigidity, saddle-splay modulus, and spontaneous curvature of thin fluid membrane
• Coat stiffening can explain invagination of clathrin-coated membranes
• Spatiotemporal pattern formation of membranes induced by surface molecular binding/unbinding