Active Transport of Membrane Components by Self-Organization of the Min Proteins (Biophysical Journal)

Heterogeneous distribution of components in the biological membrane is critical in the process of cell polarization. However, little is known about the mechanisms that can generate and maintain the heterogeneous distribution of the membrane components. Here we report that the propagating wave patterns of the bacterial Min proteins can impose steric pressure on the membrane, resulting in transport and directional accumulation of the component in the membrane. Therefore, the membrane component waves represent transport of the component in the membrane that is caused by the steric pressure gradient induced by the differential levels of binding and dissociation of the Min proteins in the propagating waves on the membrane surface.