Kinesin-5 drives the helical motion of anti-parallel and parallel microtubules around each other

ABSTRACT: During mitosis, motor proteins and microtubule-associated protein organize the spindle apparatus by cross-linking and sliding microtubules. Kinesin-5 plays a vital role in spindle formation and maintenance, potentially inducing twist in the spindle fibers. The off-axis power stroke of kinesin-5 could generate this twist, but its implications in microtubule organization remain unclear. Here, we investigate 3D microtubule-microtubule sliding mediated by the human kinesin-5, KIF11, and found that the motor caused right-handed helical motion of anti-parallel microtubules around each other. The sidestepping ratio increased with reduced ATP concentration, indicating that forward and sideways stepping of the motor are not strictly coupled. Further, the microtubule-microtubule distance (motor exte

SUBMITTER: Dr. Laura Meißner 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_1038-S44318-024-00048-X | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other