Initiation and Dynamics of Hemifusion in Lipid Bilayers
Open accessAbstract
One approach to the understanding of fusion in cells and model membranes involves stalk formation and expansion of the hemifusion diaphragm. We predict theoretically the initiation of hemifusion by stalk expansion and the dynamics of mesoscopic hemifusion diaphragm expansion in the light of recent experiments and theory that suggested that hemifusion is driven by intramembrane tension far from the fusion zone. Our predictions include a square-root scaling of the hemifusion zone size on time as well as an estimate of the minimal tension for initiation of hemifusion. Whereas a minimal amount of pressure is evidently needed for stalk formation, it is not necessarily required for stalk expansion. The energy required for tension-induced fusion is much smaller than that required for pressure-driven fusion.
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Fusogenic proteins mediate membrane fusion by pulling the membranes into contact to overcome the high energy barrier imposed by hydration repulsion.
“It is often considered in the presence of fusogenic proteins, which mediate the fusion by pulling the membranes into contact to overcome the high energy barrier imposed by hydration repulsion [4][5][6][7] .”
From Fusion of lipid membranes: an alternative pathway (2026) · cites this paper as [6]
Section IV (Boundary Conditions and Global Dynamics; page unavailable) says fusion proteins promote stalk formation and expansion, and describes SNARE proteins as pulling on a stalk to widen it—not pulling two membranes into contact. Section VI (The Role of Pressure; page unavailable) explains that hydration forces maintain a water layer between bilayers, but does not say proteins overcome that barrier by drawing the membranes together. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredLipid headgroups forming membrane surfaces are highly hydrophilic and hydrated, imposing a high energy barrier for two membranes to fuse due to hydration repulsion.
“The lipidic headgroups forming the membranes' surface are highly hydrophilic and hydrated, imposing a high energy barrier for two membranes to fuse due to hydration repulsion [4][5][6][7] .”
From Fusion of lipid membranes: an alternative pathway (2026) · cites this paper as [6]
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Research works printed but not linked: 3
- Arnold, K. 1995. Cation induced vesicle fusion modulated by polymers and proteins. In Handbook of Biological Physics, Vol. 1B. R. Lipowsky, and E. Sackman, editors. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
- Ben-Shaul, A. 1995. Molecular theory of chain packing, elas- ticity and lipid-protein interaction in lipid bilayers. In Handbook of Biological Physics, Vol. 1B. R. Lipowsky, and E. Sackman, editors. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
- Israelachvili, J. 1991. Intermolecular & surface forces, Chap- ter 17. Academic Press, London, 2nd edition.
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Fusion of lipid membranes: an alternative pathway
Jin, D., Li, Z., Roke, S., & Klein, J. (2026) · doi:10.64898/2026.02.19.706911
- Authors
- Hed, G., & Safran, S. A.
- Affiliations
- Weizmann Institute of Science (IL)
- Corresponding author
- Hed, Guy
- ORCID
- Safran, S.A.
- Venue
- Biophysical Journal
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2003-07
- Volume
- 85
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 381-389
- ISSN
- 0006-3495 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC1303093
- OpenAlex
- W2055865545
- Cited by
- 26
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 0.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Biophysical Journal (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- APS March Meeting Abstracts
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Cellular transport and secretion
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Caveolin-1 and cellular processes
- Keywords
- hemifusion, lipid bilayers, stalk formation, membrane fusion, membrane mechanics
- MeSH terms
- Computer Simulation, Lipid Bilayers, Membrane Fluidity, Membrane Fusion, Membranes, Artificial, Models, Chemical, Models, Molecular, Molecular Conformation, Surface Tension, Viscosity, Water, Friction, Macromolecular Substances
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