Molecular dynamics study of binding mechanism of a peripheral membrane protein in a single and dual membrane environment

Abstract

Lipid transfer proteins namely, oxysterol-binding protein-related proteins regulate trafficking of lipids across cellular compartments to maintain diverse functional and structural heterogeneity of organelles. The peripheral membrane protein, Osh4, is the abundantly expressed oxysterol binding protein in yeast. However, the functional mechanism of Osh4 in lipid transport is still not well understood. Several experimental studies have suggested that yeast Osh proteins operate at membrane contact sites (MCSs) and shuttles lipid across membranes in a direct fashion or via diffusing through cytoplasm.