title: Teamwork in microtubule motors.
abstract: Diverse cellular processes are driven by the collective force from multiple motor proteins. Disease-causing mutations cause aberrant function of motors, but the impact is observed at a cellular level and beyond, therefore necessitating an understanding of cell mechanics at the level of motor molecules. One way to do this is by measuring the force generated by ensembles of motors in vivo at single-motor resolution. This has been possible for microtubule motor teams that transport intracellular organelles, revealing unexpected differences between collective and single-molecule function. Here we review how the biophysical properties of single motors, and differences therein, may translate into collective motor function during organelle transport and perhaps in other processes outside transport.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India. Electronic address: roop@tifr.res.in.
authors.forename: Roop
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mallik
authors.forename: Arpan K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barak
authors.forename: Ashim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.forename: Ambarish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kunwar
mesh_terms: D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins
keywords: cooperative forces inside cells; dynein; dynein gear; in vivo optical trapping; kinesin; organelle transport