Anisotropic ESCRT-III architecture governs helical membrane tube formation

ESCRT-III proteins assemble into ubiquitous membrane-remodeling polymers during many cellular processes. Here we describe the structure of helical membrane tubes that are scaffolded by bundled ESCRT-III filaments. Cryo-ET reveals how the shape of the helical membrane tube arises from the assembly of distinct bundles of protein filaments that bind the membrane with different mean curvatures. Cryo-EM reveals how one of these ESCRT-III filaments engages the membrane tube through a novel interface. Mathematical modeling of the helical membrane tube suggests how its shape emerges from differences in membrane binding energy, positional rigidity, and membrane tension. Altogether, our findings support a model in which increasing the rigidity of ESCRT-III filaments through the assembly of multi-strands triggers buckling of the membrane.