Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain proteins control the curvature of lipid membranes in endocytosis, trafficking, cell motility, the formation of complex subcellular structures, and many other cellular phenomena. They form 3D assemblies that act as molecular scaffolds to reshape the membrane and alter its mechanical properties. It is unknown, however, how a protein scaffold forms and how BAR domains interact in these assemblies at protein densities relevant for a cell. In this work, we use various experimental, theoretical, and simulation approaches to explore how BAR proteins organize to form a scaffold on a membrane nanotube. By combining quantitative microscopy with analytical modeling, we demonstrate that a highly curving BAR protein endophilin nucleates its scaffolds at the ends of a membrane tube, contrary to a weaker curving protein centaurin, which binds evenly along the tube's length. Our work implies that the nature of local protein-membrane interactions can affect the specific localization of proteins on membrane-remodeling sites. Furthermore, we show that amphipathic helices are dispensable in forming protein scaffolds. Finally, we explore a possible molecular structure of a BAR-domain scaffold using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Together with fluorescence microscopy, the simulations show that proteins need only to cover 30-40% of a tube's surface to form a rigid assembly. Our work provides mechanical and structural insights into the way BAR proteins may sculpt the membrane as a high-order cooperative assembly in important biological processes.protein scaffold | BAR proteins | membrane curvature | self-assembly | endocytosis

We develop a continuous theory of low-frequency dynamics for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) weakly interacting with the environment. In the frame of the approach proposed we obtain temperature dependence of SWCNTs specific heat in the low (T<40 K) and ultra-low (T<2.5 K) temperature ranges. We take into account the main term in the coupling between SWCNT and the environment that slightly increases the frequencies of those SWCNT modes, which possess predominantly radial polarization. The coupling drastically decreases the density of phonon states in the lowest frequencies region. The theoretically predicted fall of the specific heat in the interval T<2.5 K properly explains available experimental data in contrast to the preceding approaches. The theory proposed can be the basis for studies of low-temperature heat capacity and phonon dynamics of many other single-walled and multi-walled tubular structures (boron nitride, transition metal dichalcogenides) which have emerged in the past decade. PACS number(s): 78.67.Ch, 62.30.+d.

Understanding the principles of protein packing and the mechanisms driving morphological transformations in virus shells (capsids) during their maturation can be pivotal for the development of new antiviral strategies. Here,...