title: Moonlighting Motors: Kinesin, Dynein, and Cell Polarity.
abstract: In addition to their well-known role in transporting cargoes in the cytoplasm, microtubule motors organize their own tracks - the microtubules. While this function is mostly studied in the context of cell division, it is essential for microtubule organization and generation of cell polarity in interphase cells. Kinesin-1, the most abundant microtubule motor, plays a role in the initial formation of neurites. This review describes the mechanism of kinesin-1-driven microtubule sliding and discusses its biological significance in neurons. Recent studies describing the interplay between kinesin-1 and cytoplasmic dynein in the translocation of microtubules are discussed. In addition, we evaluate recent work exploring the developmental regulation of microtubule sliding during axonal outgrowth and regeneration. Collectively, the discussed works suggest that sliding of interphase microtubules by motors is a novel force-generating mechanism that reorganizes the cytoskeleton and drives shape change and polarization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Ward 11-100, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Ward 11-100, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. Electronic address: vgelfand@northwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Vladimir I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Gelfand
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016764:Cell Polarity; D004398:Dyneins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016547:Kinesins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004398:Dyneins; D016547:Kinesins