title: The novel functions of kinesin motor proteins in plants.
abstract: Kinesin superfamily proteins are important microtubule-based motor proteins with a kinesin motor domain that is conserved among all eukaryotic organisms. They are responsible for unidirectionally transporting various cargoes, including membranous organelles, protein complexes, and mRNAs. They also play critical roles in mitosis, morphogenesis, and signal transduction. Most kinesins in plants are evolutionarily divergent from their counterparts in animals and fungi. The mitotic kinesins in the plant kinesin-5 and kinesin-14 subfamilies appear to be similar to those in fungi and animals. However, others with nonmotor sequences are unique to plants. The kinesins affect microtubule organization, organelle distribution, vesicle transport, and cellulose microfibril order. Ultimately, plant kinesins contribute directly or indirectly to cell division and cell growth in various tissues. Here, we review a novel function of kinesins with transcription activation activity in regulating gibberellin biosynthesis and cell growth. These findings will open exciting new areas of kinesin research.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Key Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Environmental Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yunyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chong
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division; D005875:Gibberellins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016547:Kinesins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D063245:Plant Development; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005875:Gibberellins; D010940:Plant Proteins; C007842:gibberellic acid; D016547:Kinesins