Abstract
In an attempt to develop a minimal model system of cell membrane fusion in the absence of external catalysts we have used large unilamellar vesicles consisting of a phospholipid (dioleoylphosphatidylcholine), cholesterol and diacylglycerol in a 50:50:3 mol ratio. In this protein-free system, fusion occurs just by thermal fluctuations, above 60°C. Under our conditions cholesterol is essential to produce vesicle aggregation, but fusion is only observed when small amounts of diacylglycerol are added. Vesicle fusion occurs only under conditions when X-ray diffraction and cryo-transmission electron microscopy of the lipid mixtures used in vesicle preparation show inverted lipid phase formation (hexagonal and cubic).
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