Moving on to the cargo problem of microtubule-dependent motors in neurons.
Vigorous investigation has finally begun to shed light on the cargo problem of the microtubule-dependent motors, kinesin and dynein superfamily proteins. Biochemical observations have suggested that the potential cargoes of certain populations of motor proteins seem to be in vesicle-form, each vesicle possessing specific functional marker molecules. In addition to the close relationship between microtubule-dependent motors and cargoes in vesicle-form, kinesin has also been highlighted as an apparent driving force for another cargo in non-vesicle-form, cytoplasmic protein. On the basis of new biophysical and cell-biological evidence, the controversy over the movement of cytoplasmic cargoes has entered a new phase.
Terada
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S
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-0033, Tokyo, Japan. sterada@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Hirokawa
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N
D000818:Animals; D004398:Dyneins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016547:Kinesins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008868:Microtubule Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
D008868:Microtubule Proteins; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D004398:Dyneins; D016547:Kinesins