Interplay between membrane curvature and cholesterol: Role of palmitoylated caveolin-1

Caveolin-1 (cav-1) is an important player in cell signaling and endocytosis that has been shown to co-localize with cholesterol-rich membrane domains. Experimental studies with varying cav-1 constructs have suggested that it can induce both cholesterol clustering and membrane curvature. Here, we probe the molecular origin of membrane curvature and cholesterol clustering by cav-1 using coarse-grain molecular dynamics simulations. We have performed a series of simulations of a functionally important cav-1 construct, comprising of the membrane interacting domains and a C-terminal palmitoyl tail.

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