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

Krishanu Ray

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2006, vol. 372, issue 1, 52-64

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.

Keywords: Kinesin; Microtubule; Chemo-mechanical ATPase; Motor proteins; Intracellular transport (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:372:y:2006:i:1:p:52-64

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2006.05.007

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