Kinesin interactions with membrane bounded organelles in vivo and in vitro

The ability of kinesin to interact with microtubules in a nucleotide-dependent manner and mediate microtubule-based motility has received the greatest amount of attention to date. Several lines of experimentation are now beginning to examine the interaction with membrane-bounded organelles. Immunochemical, biochemical and morphological approaches have shown that kinesin is associated with some, but not all, classes of membrane-bounded organelles found in cells. Similarly, evidence suggests that the distal portion of the rod and the tail portions of the kinesin heavy chain as well as the kinesin light chains may be important for the interaction with membrane surfaces. As a substantial amount of information about the molecular structure and biochemistry of kinesin has become available, the functional implications of interactions with membrane structures in vivo are being addressed.