Interplay of membrane crosslinking and curvature induction by annexins

Efficient plasma membrane repair (PMR) is required to repair damage sustained in the cellular life cycle. The annexin family of proteins, involved in PMR, are activated by Ca(2+) influx from extracellular media at the site of injury. Mechanistic studies of the annexins have been overwhelmingly performed using a single annexin, despite the recruitment of multiple annexins to membrane damage sites in living cells. Hence, we investigate the effect of the presence of the crosslinking annexins, annexin A1, A2 and A6 (ANXA1, ANXA2 and ANXA6) on the membrane curvature induction of annexin A4 (ANXA4) in model membrane systems. Our data support a mechanistic model of PMR where ANXA4 induced membrane curvature and ANXA6 crosslinking promotes wound closure. The model now can be expanded to include ANXA1 and ANXA2 as specialist free edge membrane crosslinkers that act in concert with ANXA4 induced curvature and ANXA6 crosslinking.