Abstract
Pore-forming proteins/peptides often oligomerize on the cellular membrane, which can affect the cell in many ways. Pore formation has several applications one of which is the part of this study is the change in the inner part of vesicles (endosomal and exosomal exchange).
My PhD study focuses on pore formation induced by Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2). This protein binds PI(4,5)P2 and subsequently oligomerises on the membrane.
To correlate FGF2 oligomerisation to trans-membrane pore formation, we developed and used a new dual(1+) FCS approach. This approach's readout parameters are protein oligomeric state, diffusion coefficient and protein surface concentration measured selectively on leaky and nonleaky vesicles, i.e. on the vesicles that do contain pores or on the vesicles that have an intact bilayer.
This approach enables us to tell the average number of molecules of FGF2 required to create a pore on vesicles as well as pore size variation with time.