Biological membranes are constantly in contact with various filamentous soft nanostructures that
either reside on their surface or are being transported between the cell and its environment. In particular,
viral infections are determined by the interaction of viruses (such as filovirus) with cell membranes, membrane protein organization (such as cytoskeletal proteins and actin filament bundles) has been proposed to influence the mechanical properties of lipid membranes, and the adhesion and uptake of filamentous nanoparticles influence their delivery yield. Yet, quantitative studies on the attachment and assembly of these flexible structures in the context of filament-membrane interaction have been scarce. This project investigates the interactions of flexible nanofilaments with biological cells to understand the mechanisms by which flexible nanofilaments adhere to cells and subsequently induce their deformation, a process that can lead to the organization of these nanofilaments and shape transformation of the membrane. Using a hybrid computational framework that combines coarse-grained molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations, we will quantify the specific roles of nanofilament shape and stiffness, cell membrane mechanics, and crowding of nanofilaments on the adhesion strength and the emergent shape of nanofilaments. Knowledge gained from this research will help address the societal needs to understand biophysical principles that govern the attachment and assembly of filoviruses (e.g., Ebola virus) onto the living cells, facilitate the development of next-generation vaccines for a range of diseases, including infectious diseases, and contribute useful scientific knowledge on the interplay among integral membrane proteins and cytoskeletal.
This work is supported by NSF Grant CBET-2327899.
