Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Assembling Molecular Shuttles Powered by Reversibly Attached Kinesins
Published on: January 26, 2019
Interaction of kinesin motors, microtubules, and MAPs
A Marx1, J Müller, E-M Mandelkow
1Max-Planck-Unit for Structural Molecular Biology, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.
Abstract:
Kinesins are a family of microtubule-dependent motor proteins that carry cargoes such as vesicles, organelles, or protein complexes along microtubules. Here we summarize structural studies of the "conventional" motor protein kinesin-1 and its interactions with microtubules, as determined by X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. In particular, we consider the docking between the kinesin motor domain and tubulin subunits and summarize the evidence that kinesin binds mainly to beta tubulin with the switch-2 helix close to the intradimer interface between alpha and beta tubulin.
Related Concept Videos
Microtubule Associated Motor Proteins
The Movement of Organelles and Vesicles
Microtubule Associated Proteins (MAPs)
Anaphase A and B
Plus-end depolymerization releases tubulin heterodimers from the terminal region of the microtubule. As tubulin subunits are lost, the Ndc80 complexes detach...
Destabilization of Microtubules
Microtubules in Cell Motility

