
Understanding membrane remodelling through biochemical reconstitution
Supported Membrane Templates (SMrT) represent a versatile assay system that comprises of planar membrane patches and an array membrane nanotubes (see schematic below and Dar, Kamerkar and Pucadyil (2017) Nature Protocols for more details). These templates therefore display a wide range of topologies that allow us to recreate a variety of protein-mediated membrane remodelling pathways, from budding of the planar membrane patch fission of curved membrane tubes (see movies below). These assays are carried out by real-time monitoring using fluorescence microscopy. Using such assays, we interrogate mechanisms of membrane remodelling as well as screen tissue lysates for novel activities.
Schematic of formation of SMrTs
Budding assayed on a
planar membrane patch
Fission assayed on curved membrane tubes



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"Gearing" up for dynamin-catalyzed membrane fission
Khurana and Pucadyil (2023) Current Opinions in Cell Biology
Membrane contacts, lipid flux, and fission
Pucadyil (2023) Molecular Cell
Mechanistic analysis of a novel membrane-interacting variable loop in the pleckstrin-homology domain critical for dynamin function
Khurana et al. (2023) PNAS
Function and regulation of the divisome for mitochondrial fission
Kraus et al. (2021) Nature
Cellular functions and intrinsic attributes of the ATP-binding Eps15 homology domain-containing (EHD) proteins
Bhattacharyya and Pucadyil (2020) Protein Science
A Screen for Membrane Fission Catalysts Identifies the ATPase EHD1
Kamerkar et al. (2019) Biochemistry
Dynamin-related protein 1 has membrane constricting and severing abilities sufficient for mitochondrial and peroxisomal fission
Kamerkar and Kraus et al. (2018) Nature Communications
ATP-dependent membrane remodeling links EHD1 functions to endocytic recycling
Deo and Kushwah et al. (2018) Nature Communications
The pleckstrin-homology domain of dynamin is dispensable for membrane constriction and fission
Dar and Pucadyil (2017) Molecular Biology of the Cell
A high-throughput platform for real-time analysis of membrane fission reactions reveals dynamin function
Dar et al. (2015) Nature Cell Biology