Molecular motors: Walking talking heads.
Small tension signals that pass between the two linked heads of kinesin allow the motor protein to coordinate its walking action. Two new studies suggest that certain members of the two other major families of motor proteins, the myosins and dyneins, can do the same thing.
Cross
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Molecular Motors Group, The Chart, Marie Curie Research Institute, Oxted, RH8 OTL, UK. r.cross@mcri.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D002696:Chlamydomonas / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D004398:Dyneins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005407:Flagella / Q000502:physiology; D016547:Kinesins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008958:Models, Molecular; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009218:Myosins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D011487:Protein Conformation; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D009218:Myosins; D004398:Dyneins; D016547:Kinesins