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How kinesins walk, assemble and transport: A birds-eye-view of some unresolved questions

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  • Ray, Krishanu

Abstract

Eukaryotic cells contain an intricate network of microtubule filaments inside. It provides the mechanical support for maintaining cell shape as well as a railway for intracellular traffic. A special class of ATP hydrolyzing enzymes bind microtubule inside the cells and ‘walk’ along the filament. Kinesins constitute a subset of these so called ‘motor’ proteins. These are a diverse set of proteins capable of converting the chemical energy of ATP hydrolysis to mechanical force and move from one end of the cell to the other carrying a variety of different cargoes. Although the composition, structure and their force generating mechanism is understood in considerable detail, several questions regarding the mechanism of kinesin mediated transport remained unanswered. Here, in this review, I have provided a brief overview of kinesin structure and functions in different intracellular transports and highlighted some of the key unresolved issues.

Suggested Citation

  • Ray, Krishanu, 2006. "How kinesins walk, assemble and transport: A birds-eye-view of some unresolved questions," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 372(1), pages 52-64.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:372:y:2006:i:1:p:52-64
    DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2006.05.007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ulrike Henningsen & Manfred Schliwa, 1997. "Reversal in the direction of movement of a molecular motor," Nature, Nature, vol. 389(6646), pages 93-96, September.
    2. Masahide Kikkawa & Elena P. Sablin & Yasushi Okada & Hiroaki Yajima & Robert J. Fletterick & Nobutaka Hirokawa, 2001. "Switch-based mechanism of kinesin motors," Nature, Nature, vol. 411(6836), pages 439-445, May.
    3. Lukas C. Kapitein & Erwin J. G. Peterman & Benjamin H. Kwok & Jeffrey H. Kim & Tarun M. Kapoor & Christoph F. Schmidt, 2005. "The bipolar mitotic kinesin Eg5 moves on both microtubules that it crosslinks," Nature, Nature, vol. 435(7038), pages 114-118, May.
    4. Sharyn A. Endow & Hideo Higuchi, 2000. "A mutant of the motor protein kinesin that moves in both directions on microtubules," Nature, Nature, vol. 406(6798), pages 913-916, August.
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