Exploration and analytical techniques for membrane curvature-sensing proteins in bacteria.

Abstract

The mechanism by which cells regulate protein localization is an important topic in the field of bacterial biology. In certain instances, the morphology of the biological membrane has been demonstrated to function as a spatial cue for the subcellular localization of proteins. These proteins are capable of sensing membrane curvature and are involved in a number of physiological functions such as cytokinesis and the formation of membrane-bound organelles. This review presents recent advances in the in vitro evaluation of curvature-sensing properties using artificially controlled membranes and purified proteins, as well as microscopic live cell assays. However, these evaluation methodologies often require sophisticated experiments, and the number of identified curvature sensors remains limited. Thus, we present a comprehensive exploration of recently reported curvature-sensing proteins. Subsequently, we summarize the known curvature-sensing proteins in bacteria, in conjunction with the analytical methodologies employed in this field. Finally, future prospects and further requirements in the study of curvature-sensing proteins are discussed.