Large MAT file corrupted by multiple loading

I have recently run into a recurring problem with previously sound MAT files becoming inexplicably corrupted. This has happened with multiple distinct MAT files and with no obvious pattern. The latest example is a file that is supposed to load two multiple-element structures with fields that contain only numeric arrays:

     whos
     glAll     1x412    21707848  struct                                 
     dissAll   1x412  5207459268  struct

I repeatedly loaded and worked with the data in the file for about 4 days. On the fifth day, running the same code (load myFile.mat) produces an "Unable to read file" error, without further explanation. The MAT file was not modified in my scripts, and nothing in the directory structure has changed (ie. the file is present in the working directory). In this example the MAT file is quite large (5 GB) but I've had the same problem with smaller files (~500 MB). This particular file was created using

save -v7.3 GliderDissAll.mat glAll dissAll

but I've had the same issue with -v7 files. I am running OS X El Capitan 10.11.2 and R2015b. Why do my previously-uncorrupted files suddenly become corrupted, though they were never explicitly modified?

Update: I should mention, the working directory is on an external server not on my local machine. I connect to the server through a local ethernet over the thunderbolt port.

[A Griffa]

I am experiencing the very same issue. The mat file I want to load into Matlab is relatively large (~600MB), and it is stored on my local machine. I've been loading this file several times, without modifying it. Suddenly, I get a 'Cannot read file' error. I'm running Matlab R2017a, on a OS X El Capitan 10.11.6. Any support on this issue?

[Arnold Ammann]

I am having a very similar issue, except it tells me "Unable to read MAT-file Not a binary MAT-file. Try load -ASCII to read as text." This file was created in another script and saved as a .mat file.

[Walter Roberson]

I suspect you can get that error message if you run out of memory while trying to load the file.