An orphan kinesin in trypanosomes cooperates with a kinetoplastid-specific kinesin to maintain cell morphology by regulating subpellicular microtubules.

ABSTRACT: Microtubules are a vital part of the cytoskeleton of eukaryotic cells and are involved in various cellular processes. The cytoskeleton of Trypanosoma brucei is characterized by an array of subpellicular microtubules and is essential for maintenance of cell shape and polarity, but little is known about the regulation of the assembly and organization of the subpellicular microtubule corset. Here, we report that the orphan kinesin TbKIN-D regulates the organization of subpellicular microtubules and is required for maintaining cell morphology. TbKIN-D possesses in vitro ATPase activity, associates with cytoskeletal microtubules and is distributed throughout the cytoskeleton at all cell cycle stages. RNAi of TbKIN-D disrupts the organization of the subpellicular microtubule corset and distorts

SUBMITTER: Hu H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3482319 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature