Curvature instability of an active gel growing on a wavy membrane

Abstract

Cell shape changes are largely controlled by the actin cytoskeleton, a dynamic filament network beneath the plasma membrane. Several cell types can form extended free-standing protrusions not supported by an extracellular substrate or matrix, and regulated by proteins that modulate cytoskeletal dynamics in a way sensitive to the curvature of the cell membrane. We develop a theoretical model for the mechanics of a free-standing viscous actin network growing on a corrugated membrane. The model couples the dynamics of the viscous active gel with membrane deformation and the recruitment of curvature-sensitive actin nucleators. We show that an actin layer polymerising uniformly on the membrane always exerts a stabilising effect that reduces membrane deformation. However, curvature-sensitive actin nucleator proteins can render the membrane linearly unstable, depending on the interplay between membrane and actin dynamics, giving rise to spontaneous membrane deformation which could initiate extended free-standing cellular protrusion.