Shape Transformations and Rupture of a Vesicle Driven by an Encapsulated Active Particle
Abstract
Biological membranes are highly deformable structures that undergo shape transformations during numerous cellular processes. These transformations are often driven by active agents, including molecular motors, cytoskeletal machinery, and motile microorganisms, which consume energy and maintain biological systems far from equilibrium. Here, we investigate how a single active particle confined within a lipid vesicle drives membrane deformation. Using a lipid-resolved coarse-grained model, we examine how the activity and shape of an encapsulated self-propelled particle influence vesicle dynamics and morphology. Active particles generate persistent propulsion that exerts mechanical stresses on the enclosing membrane, thereby driving its deformation. Using particles of different shapes but identical surface area, we systematically investigate membrane morphologies as functions of activity and bending rigidity. We quantify membrane deformation through asphericity and excess bending energy relative to the equilibrium spherical state. Both measures exhibit a non-monotonic dependence on activity, peaking at intermediate activity. At sufficiently high activity, membrane rupture occurs before significant large-scale deformation can develop, limiting further remodeling. We further demonstrate that membrane surface tension plays a significant role in regulating activity-induced deformation dynamics.
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BibTeX
@misc{kumar2026shape,
title = {{Shape Transformations and Rupture of a Vesicle Driven by an Encapsulated Active Particle}},
author = {Gaurav Kumar and Abhishek Chaudhuri and Rajeev Kapri and Anil Kumar Dasanna},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.05836},
eprint = {2610.05836},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.05836},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Shape Transformations and Rupture of a Vesicle Driven by an Encapsulated Active Particle
AU - Gaurav Kumar
AU - Abhishek Chaudhuri
AU - Rajeev Kapri
AU - Anil Kumar Dasanna
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/05
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.05836
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.05836
AB - Biological membranes are highly deformable structures that undergo shape transformations during numerous cellular processes. These transformations are often driven by active agents, including molecular motors, cytoskeletal machinery, and motile microorganisms, which consume energy and maintain biological systems far from equilibrium. Here, we investigate how a single active particle confined within a lipid vesicle drives membrane deformation. Using a lipid-resolved coarse-grained model, we examine how the activity and shape of an encapsulated self-propelled particle influence vesicle dynamics and morphology. Active particles generate persistent propulsion that exerts mechanical stresses on the enclosing membrane, thereby driving its deformation. Using particles of different shapes but identical surface area, we systematically investigate membrane morphologies as functions of activity and bending rigidity. We quantify membrane deformation through asphericity and excess bending energy relative to the equilibrium spherical state. Both measures exhibit a non-monotonic dependence on activity, peaking at intermediate activity. At sufficiently high activity, membrane rupture occurs before significant large-scale deformation can develop, limiting further remodeling. We further demonstrate that membrane surface tension plays a significant role in regulating activity-induced deformation dynamics.
ER -