Single Molecule Investigation of Kinesin-1 Motility Using Engineered Microtubule Defects.

ABSTRACT: The structure of the microtubule is tightly regulated in cells via a number of microtubule associated proteins and enzymes. Microtubules accumulate structural defects during polymerization, and defect size can further increase under mechanical stresses. Intriguingly, microtubule defects have been shown to be targeted for removal via severing enzymes or self-repair. The cell's control in defect removal suggests that defects can impact microtubule-based processes, including molecular motor-based intracellular transport. We previously demonstrated that microtubule defects influence cargo transport by multiple kinesin motors. However, mechanistic investigations of the observed effects remained challenging, since defects occur randomly during polymerization and are not directly observable in cu

SUBMITTER: Gramlich MW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5347089 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature