Membrane curvature sensing of the lipid-anchored K-Ras small GTPase

Plasma membrane (PM) curvature defines cell shape and intracellular organelle morphologies and is a fundamental cell property. Growth/proliferation is more stimulated in flatter cells than the same cells in elongated shapes. PM-anchored K-Ras small GTPase regulates cell growth/proliferation and plays key roles in cancer. The lipid-anchored K-Ras form nanoclusters selectively enriched with specific phospholipids, such as phosphatidylserine (PS), for efficient effector recruitment and activation. K-Ras function may, thus, be sensitive to changing lipid distribution at membranes with different curvatures. Here, we used complementary methods to manipulate membrane curvature of intact/live cells, native PM blebs, and synthetic liposomes. We show that the spatiotemporal organization and signaling of an oncogenic mutant K-Ras favor flatter membranes with low curvature. Our findings are consistent with the more stimulated growth/proliferation in flatter cells. Depletion of endogenous PS abolishes K-Ras PM curvature sensing. In cells and synthetic bilayers, only mixed-chain PS species, but not other PS species tested, mediate K-Ras membrane curvature sensing. Thus, K-Ras nanoclusters act as relay stations to convert mechanical perturbations to mitogenic signaling.