Terasaki spiral ramps in the rough endoplasmic reticulum

Phys Rev Lett. 2014 Oct 31;113(18):188101. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.188101. Epub 2014 Oct 28.

Abstract

We present a model describing the morphology as well as the assembly of "Terasaki ramps," the recently discovered helicoidal connections linking adjacent sheets of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The fundamental unit is a localized symmetric double-ramped "parking garage" formed by two separated gently pitched, approximately helicoidal, ramps of opposite chiralities. This geometry is stabilized by a short-range repulsive interaction between ramps associated with bending energy which opposes the long-range attraction associated with tension. The ramp inner boundaries are themselves stabilized by the condensation of membrane-shaping proteins along their length. A mechanism for parking garage self-assembly is proposed involving the nucleation of dipoles at the center of tubular three-way junctions within the smooth ER. Our predictions are compared with the experimental data.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough / physiology*
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough / ultrastructure*
  • Models, Biological*