Hydrodynamics of Double Membrane Spreading in Biology

Project Information

HYDROBIOMEM

Grant agreement ID: 101106384

DOI

10.3030/101106384

Project terminated on 30 April 2024

EC signature date 6 July 2023

Start date 1 September 2023

End date 31 August 2025

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 210 911,04

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITETET I OSLO
Norway

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HYDROBIOMEM (Hydrodynamics of Double Membrane Spreading in Biology)

Reporting period: 2023-09-01 to 2025-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In HYDROBIOMEM I have worked to develop novel theoretical tools and computational methods to describe the double membrane wrapping in autophagy by combining tools from soft matter physics, differential geometry and fluid mechanics. Autophagy is a dynamic biomembrane process that is the principle pathway for calls to degrade harmful components. As such, its misregulation is involved in an enormous number of pathologies including cancer, Alzheimers and Parkinson’s. Here we aim to develop a biophysical understanding of the fundamental processes which govern the membrane dynamics of autophagy, in particular the role of activity via the recruitment of binding proteins and lipids, and hydrodynamic dissipation.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Note that this project was ended early for personal reasons. I developed general covariant hydrodynamic equations to describe the curvature coupling and dissipative dynamics lipid membranes with proteins embedded across the membrane. This complemented earlier work performed in the group analyzing the statics of such a system in the geometry of a tube.

I developed a numerical scheme for solving 1D geometric PDEs in arbitrary geometry, initially this was applied to a simplified system of odd active filaments. The long-term goal is to apply such methods to axis-symmetric double membrane wrapping problems.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The development of protein-membrane covariant hydrodynamic equations in general, coordinate free form was an advance beyond the current state of the art. In addition the application of such equations to the instability of a protein covered membrane tube yielded new insights on the dissipative mechanisms governing the protein-induced pearling instability. We showed that the membrane viscosity is the dominant dissipative factor in the secondary dispersive peak (short wavelength instability).