Multi-kinesin clusters impart mechanical stress that reveals mechanisms of microtubule breakage in cells.

ABSTRACT: Microtubules are cytoskeletal filaments that provide structural support for numerous cellular processes. Despite their high rigidity, microtubules can be dramatically bent in cells and it is unknown how much force a microtubule can withstand before breaking. We find that liquid-liquid phase separation of the kinesin-3 motor KIF1C results in multi-kinesin clusters that entangle neighboring microtubules and impose a high level of mechanical stress that results in microtubule breakage and disassembly. Combining computational simulations and experiments, we show that microtubule fragmentation is enhanced by having a highly processive kinesin motor domain, a stiff clustering mechanism, and sufficient drag force on the microtubules. We estimate a rupture force for microtubules in cells of 70-120

SUBMITTER: Geng Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11838454 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature