Coordination of transporter, cargo, and membrane properties during non-vesicular lipid transport

Homeostasis of cellular membranes is maintained by fine-tuning their lipid composition. Yeast lipid transporter Osh6, belonging to the oxysterol-binding protein-related proteins family, was found to participate in the transport of phosphatidylserine (PS). PS synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum is delivered to the plasma membrane, where it is exchanged for phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P). PI4P provides the driving force for the directed PS transport against its concentration gradient. In this study, we employed an in vitro approach to reconstitute the transport process into the minimalistic system of large unilamellar vesicles to reveal its fundamental biophysical determinants. Our study draws a comprehensive portrait of the interplay between the structure and dynamics of Osh6, the carried cargo lipid, and the physical properties of the involved membranes, with particular attention to the presence of charged lipids and to membrane fluidity. Specifically, we address the role of the cargo lipid, which, by occupying the transporter, imposes changes in its dynamics and, consequently, predisposes the cargo to disembark in the correct target membrane. Demonstration of biophysical determinants impacting Osh6-mediated lipid transport in a model membrane system, revealing the subtle orchestration between the transporter, cargo, and membrane properties.