title: Kin I kinesins: insights into the mechanism of depolymerization.
abstract: Kin I kinesins are members of the diverse kinesin superfamily of molecular motors. Whereas most kinesins use ATP to move along microtubules, Kin I kinesins depolymerize microtubules rather than walk along them. Functionally, this distinct subfamily of kinesins is important in regulating cellular microtubule dynamics and plays a crucial role in spindle assembly and chromosome segregation. The molecular mechanism of Kin I-induced microtubule destabilization is as yet unclear. It is generally believed that Kin Is induce a structural change on the microtubule that leads to microtubule destabilization. Recently, much progress has been made towards understanding how Kin Is may cause this structural change, and how ATPase activity is employed in the catalytic cycle.
authors.affiliation: Medical Sciences Program, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hertzer
authors.forename: Stephanie C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ems-McClung
authors.forename: Claire E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Walczak
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D019281:Dimerization; D016547:Kinesins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D016547:Kinesins