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Back on track – On the role of the microtubule for kinesin motility and cellular function

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Abstract

The evolution of cytoskeletal filaments (actin- and intermediate-filaments, and the microtubules) and their associated motor- and non-motor-proteins has enabled the eukaryotic cell to achieve complex organizational and structural tasks. This ability to control cellular transport processes and structures allowed for the development of such complex cellular organelles like cilia or flagella in single-cell organisms and made possible the development and differentiation of multi-cellular organisms with highly specialized, polarized cells. Also, the faithful segregation of large amounts of genetic information during cell division relies crucially on the reorganization and control of the cytoskeleton, making the cytoskeleton a key prerequisite for the development of highly complex genomes. Therefore, it is not surprising that the eukaryotic cell continuously invests considerable resources in the establishment, maintenance, modification and rearrangement of the cytoskeletal filaments and the regulation of its interaction with accessory proteins. Here we review the literature on the interaction between microtubules and motor-proteins of the kinesin-family. Our particular interest is the role of the microtubule in the regulation of kinesin motility and cellular function. After an introduction of the kinesin–microtubule interaction we focus on two interrelated aspects: (1) the active allosteric participation of the microtubule during the interaction with kinesins in general and (2) the possible regulatory role of post-translational modifications of the microtubule in the kinesin–microtubule interaction.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge financial support from DFG, DARPA, NIH and NSF. Furthermore, we would like to thank Manfred Schliwa and an unknown reviewer for helpful comments on the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics of Complex Systems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Stefan Lakämper

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2350 Hayward St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Edgar Meyhöfer

Authors
  1. Stefan Lakämper
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  2. Edgar Meyhöfer
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Correspondence to Edgar Meyhöfer.

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Lakämper, S., Meyhöfer, E. Back on track – On the role of the microtubule for kinesin motility and cellular function. J Muscle Res Cell Motil 27, 161–171 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10974-005-9052-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10974-005-9052-3

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