The novel functions of kinesin motor proteins in plants

Review Article Structures of Kinesin Motor Proteins

Almost 25 years of kinesin research have led to the accumulation of a large body of knowledge about this widespread superfamily of motor and nonmotor proteins present in all eukaryotic cells. This review covers developments in kinesin research with an emphasis on structural aspects obtained by X-ray crystallography and cryoelectron microscopy 3-D analysis on kinesin motor domains complexed to m...

Kinesin Delivers: Identifying Receptors for Motor Proteins

Motor Proteins: Kinesin Can Replace Myosin

Directional transport of specific cargos is tuned to specific molecular motors and specific cytoskeletal tracks. Myosin V transports its cargo on actin cables, whereas kinesin or dynein transport their cargo on microtubules. A recent study shows that an engineered kinesin can substitute for myosin V and its cargo-specific transport and subsequent cellular functions.

Molecular phylogeny of the kinesin family of microtubule motor proteins.

The rapidly expanding kinesin family of microtubule motor proteins includes proteins that are involved in diverse microtubule-based functions in the cell. Phylogenetic analysis of the motor regions of the kinesin proteins reveals at least five clearly defined groups that are likely to identify kinesins with different roles in basic cellular processes. Two of the groups are consistent with overa...

Motor proteins of the kinesin superfamily: structure and mechanism.

Kinesins are ATP-driven microtubule motor proteins that produce directed force. The kinesin superfamily currently encompasses over 100 eukaryotic proteins containing a common motor domain. Both the nucleotide-binding fold and active-site chemistry of the motor domain are also present in the actin-based motor, myosin. Kinesins can be classified into three groups based on the position of their mo...