Rafting along the axon on Unc104 motors.
Neurotransmission depends upon the fast axonal transport of synaptic vesicle precursors by the monomeric kinesin Unc104, a motor whose mechanism of action is a topic of debate. New work suggests that the formation of lipid raft domains triggers the assembly of vesicle-bound Unc104 dimers and the concomitant activation of processive movement, facilitating efficient long-range vesicle transport.
Scholey
Jonathan M
JM
Center for Genetics and Development, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D016547:Kinesins / Q000502:physiology; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000502:physiology; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C423186:UNC-104 protein, C elegans; D016547:Kinesins