Membrane Fusion

The Pathway to Membrane Fusion through Hemifusion

I. Overview

II. Introduction

III. Criteria and Assays to Identify Hemifusion

IV. Experimental Evidence for Hemifusion

V. Modeling the Biophysical Mechanisms of Hemifusion on the Pathway to Fusion

Dynamic Remodeling of Membranes Catalyzed by Dynamin

I. Overview

II. Introduction

III. Characteristics of Dynamin

IV. Dynamin-Induced Membrane Remodeling

V. Evolution of Models for Dynamin-Catalyzed Membrane Fission

VI. Current Insights from Structural Studies

VII. Future Perspectives

Acknowledgments

Structure and Working of Viral Fusion Machinery

I. Overview

II. Introduction

III. Structures of Fusion Proteins

IV. Regulation of the Conformational Change

V. Working of the Fusion Machinery

VI. Concluding Remarks

Acknowledgments

Membrane Fusion Mediated by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Envelope Glycoprotein

I. Introduction

II. HIV Assembly and Structure

III. Structural Changes in HIV Env Leading to Membrane Fusion

IV. What Drives the Enlargement of Fusion Pores?

V. HIV Entry Pathways

VI. Concluding Remarks

Acknowledgment

The Reovirus Fusion-Associated Small Transmembrane (FAST) Proteins: Virus-Encoded Cellular Fusogens

I. Overview

II. Introduction

III. The Diversity of Fast Proteins

IV. The Fast Proteins are Necessary and Sufficient to Induce Membrane Fusion

V. The Fast Proteins and Prefusion Events

VI. The Fast Proteins and Membrane Merger

VII. The Fast Proteins and Postfusion Events

VIII. Model of the Fast Protein-Mediated Cell–Cell Fusion Reaction

IX. Summary and Future Directions

Abbreviations

C2 Domains and Membrane Fusion

I. Overview

II. Membrane Fusion

III. The Molecular Machinery Mediating Calcium-Dependent Membrane Fusion

IV. Conclusion

Chasing the Trails of SNAREs and Lipids Along the Membrane Fusion Pathway

I. Overview

II. Introduction

III. Snare-Dependent Membrane Fusion

IV. Small Molecules as Interrogators for SNARE-Mediated Membrane Fusion

V. Single Molecule (or Particle) Fluorescence Techniques to Study SNARE-Mediated Membrane Fusion

Inferring Structures of Kinetic Intermediates in Ca2+-Triggered Exocytosis

I. Overview

II. Introduction

III. Hypothetical Intermediates

IV. Lipid Contact

V. Fluid Contact

VI. Hydrocarbon–Water Contact

VII. Membrane Bending

VIII. Role of Proteins

IX. Conclusion

Eukaryotic Cell–Cell Fusion Families

I. Overview

II. Introduction

III. Choosing a Model System: C. Elegans as an Organism to Study Cell–Cell Fusion

IV. Syncytins: an Expanding Metazoan Fusion Family

V. Regulation of Cell–Cell Fusion in Nematodes and Mammals

VI. Concluding Remarks

Invasive Podosomes and Myoblast Fusion

I. Overview

II. Introduction

III. Myoblast Fusion in Vertebrates

IV. Drosophila as A Model System to Study Myoblast Fusion

V. Myoblast Fusion in Drosophila

VI. Relevance to Vertebrate Myoblast Fusion

VII. Concluding Remarks

Acknowledgments

Lipid Acrobatics in the Membrane Fusion Arena

I. Overview

II. Introduction

III. Historical Background

IV. Fusion Pathways at the Molecular Level

V. Energy Landscape Along the Fusion Pathway

VI. Fission Pathways in Molecular Detail

VII. Peptide Modulated Fusion

VII. Outlook

Acknowledgments

An Alternate Path for Fusion and its Exploration by Field-Theoretic Means

I. Overview

II. Introduction

III. A Different Pathway to Fusion

IV. Results from A Field-Theoretic Description

V. Outlook

VI. Conclusion

Acknowledgments