title: Kinesin-II, the heteromeric kinesin.
abstract: The kinesins constitute a large family of motor proteins which are responsible for the distribution of numerous organelles, vesicles and macromolecular complexes throughout the cell. One class of these molecular motors, kinesin-II, is unique in that these proteins are typically found as heterotrimeric complexes containing two different, though related, kinesin-like motor subunits, and a single nonmotor subunit. The heteromeric nature of these kinesins appears to have resulted in a class of combinatorial kinesins which can 'mix and match' different motor subunits. Another novel feature of these motors is that the activities of several kinesin-II representatives are essential in the assembly of motile and nonmotile cilia, a role not attributed to any other kinesin. This review presents a brief overview of the structure and biological functions of kinesin-II, the heteromeric kinesin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of Idaho, Moscow 83844-3052, USA. dcole@uidaho.edu
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Cole
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019281:Dimerization; D006801:Humans; D016547:Kinesins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; C074152:kinesin-II; C499378:MYLK protein, human; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase; D016547:Kinesins