Activation of mitotic kinesin by microtubule bundling.
Kinesin-5 family members cross-link and slide parallel microtubules of opposite polarity, an activity that is essential for the formation of a bipolar spindle during mitosis. In this issue, Kapitein et al. (Kapitein, L.C., B.H. Kwok, J.S. Weinger, C.F. Schmidt, T.M. Kapoor, and E.J.G. Peterman. 2008. J. Cell Biol. 182:421-428) demonstrate that microtubule cross-linking triggers the conversion of kinesin-5 motility from a diffusive mode to a directional mode, initiating antiparallel microtubule sliding.
Tomishige
Michio
M
Department of Applied Physics, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan. tomishige@ap.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp
D000818:Animals; D004058:Diffusion; D019281:Dimerization; D016547:Kinesins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D008938:Mitosis; D021381:Protein Transport; D013552:Swine; D014981:Xenopus; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
C088335:KIF11 protein, Xenopus; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D016547:Kinesins