Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The mechanism, function and regulation of depolymerizing kinesins during mitosis.

Ayana Moore1, Linda Wordeman

  • 1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. atmoore@u.washington.edu

Trends in Cell Biology
|September 29, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Kin-I kinesins, like the mitotic centromere-associated kinesin (MCAK), depolymerize microtubules during cell division. Recent studies reveal new insights into their structure, mechanism, and regulation during mitosis.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

MCAK/Kif2C centromeric activity level tunes K-fiber turnover through distinct pathways.

iScience·2026
Same author

Migration and its impact on universal HIV testing and treatment in the HPTN 071 (PopART) study communities.

PLOS global public health·2026
Same author

Linda Wordeman.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same author

Dominant α-tubulin mutations rescue tauopathy neurodegenerative phenotypes in <i>C. elegans</i>.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

The β<sub>2</sub>-adrenoceptor agonist formoterol attenuates hallmarks of adrenal Cushing's syndrome.

British journal of pharmacology·2026
Same author

AKAP2 is required for assembly of cytoskeletal signaling complexes that promote growth and metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer.

The Journal of biological chemistry·2026

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Motors
  • Cytoskeleton Dynamics

Background:

  • Kinesins are ATP-dependent motor proteins that typically transport cargo along microtubules.
  • A specific subfamily, Kin-I kinesins, possesses the unique ability to destabilize microtubule ends.
  • This function is particularly vital during mitosis for cytoskeletal reorganization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the structure and mechanism of depolymerizing kinesins, focusing on mammalian mitotic centromere-associated kinesin (MCAK).
  • To explore newly discovered regulatory factors influencing Kin-I kinesin activity.
  • To clarify the precise role of Kin-I kinesins during the process of mitosis.

Main Methods:

  • Structural biology techniques to determine kinesin structure.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Biochemical assays to study microtubule depolymerization.
  • Cellular imaging to observe kinesin function in mitosis.

    • Main Results:

    • Detailed structural and mechanistic insights into MCAK's depolymerization activity.
    • Identification of novel regulatory proteins impacting Kin-I kinesin function.
    • Demonstration of the critical role of these kinesins in mitotic microtubule dynamics.

    Conclusions:

    • Kin-I kinesins, especially MCAK, are key regulators of microtubule dynamics during mitosis.
    • Understanding their structure and regulation is crucial for comprehending cell division.
    • Further research into regulatory factors will refine our knowledge of their precise roles.