Theory 32/Membrane Biophysics
Curvature Sensing Is a Footprint Ratio
The claim
Whether a protein senses membrane curvature is set by the ratio of its footprint to the curvature radius, so the same protein is a sensor on small vesicles and blind on large ones.
01The mechanism
A protein detects curvature only if its binding site spans enough of the curved surface to feel the difference; below the ratio, the membrane looks flat locally.
02Predictions
- P1Sensing should track the footprint ratio.
- P2Curvature alone should mispredict across protein sizes.
03Refutation
Sensing tracking curvature alone would remove the footprint term.