Mechanism of negative membrane curvature generationby I-BAR domains

The membrane sculpting ability of BAR domains has been attributed to the intrinsic curvature of their banana-shaped dimeric structure. However, there is often a mismatch between this intrinsic curvature and the diameter of the membrane tubules generated. I-BAR domains have been especially mysterious: they are almost flat but generate high negative membrane curvature. Here, we use atomistic implicit-solvent computer modeling to show that the membrane bending of the IRSP53 I-BAR domain is dictated by its higher oligomeric structure, whose curvature is completely unrelated to the intrinsic curvature of the dimer. Two other I-BARs gave similar results, whereas a flat F-BAR sheet developed a concave membrane binding interface, consistent with its observed positive membrane curvature generation. Laterally interacting helical spirals of I-BAR dimers on tube interiors are stable and have an enhanced binding energy that is sufficient for membrane bending to experimentally observed tubule diameters at a reasonable surface density.