Piezo1 Induces Local Curvature in a Mammalian Membrane and Forms Specific Protein-Lipid Interactions

Touch, hearing, and blood pressure control require mechanically-gated ion channels that convert mechanical stimuli into electrical currents. Piezo1 and Piezo2 were recently identified as essential eukaryotic mechanically-gated ion channels, yet how they respond to physical forces remains poorly understood. Here we use a multi-disciplinary approach to interrogate the interaction of Piezo1 with its lipid environment. We show that individual Piezo1 channels induce significant local curvature in the membrane that is magnified in a cooperative manner to generate larger curved Piezo1 pits. Curvature decreases under lateral membrane tension, consistent with a hypothesis that force detection can involve sensing changes to local curvature. The protein alters its local membrane composition, enriching specific lipids and forming essential binding sites for phosphoinositides and cholesterol that are functionally relevant and often related to Piezo1-mediated pathologies. Finally, we show that Piezo1 alters the expression of lipid-regulating proteins and modifies the cellular lipidome. In short, we find that lipids influence Piezo1 activity and Piezo1 influences the local morphology and composition of the bilayer as well as the cellular lipidome.