Link to Pubmed [PMID] – 22240455
Trends Cell Biol. 2012 Mar;22(3):133-40
The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT)-III machinery contributes to membrane deformation and scission in cytokinesis, intraluminal vesicle formation, autophagy and virus budding. Recombinant ESCRT-III subunits polymerize in vitro into filaments, tubes, sheets or rings, and ESCRT-III-dependent filaments have been observed in cells at virus bud necks and at the cytokinetic abscission site. These observations have inspired speculation about how ESCRT-III could mediate constriction and fission of membrane necks. Based on the polymer structures observed in vitro and in vivo, we discuss models for ESCRT-III function and outline how emerging technologies could be used to test these models.