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Microtubule Associated Motor Proteins

Microtubule Associated Motor Proteins

Eukaryotic cells have different motor proteins for transporting various cargo within the cell. These motor proteins differ based on the filament they associate with, the direction they move within the cell, and the type of cargo they transport. Motor proteins that associate with microtubules are known as microtubule-associated motor proteins. There are two families of microtubule-associated motor proteins —Kinesins and Dyneins. Both these proteins assist in the transport of cellular cargos...

The Movement of Organelles and Vesicles

The Movement of Organelles and Vesicles

In eukaryotic cells, cytoskeletal filaments such as actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments form a mesh-like cytoskeletal network. These filaments serve as tracks for transporting cellular cargo. Specialized motor proteins use the chemical energy stored in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for this transport. During interphase, microtubules are polarized, with the plus-end towards the cell periphery and the minus-end towards the cell center. Two microtubule-associated motor proteins,...

DNA Helicases

DNA Helicases

DNA unwinding helicase enzymes are a type of motor protein. Motor proteins can translocate along filaments or polymers using energy generated from ATP hydrolysis. Helicases are involved in all the important cellular processes where DNA unwinding is required, such as DNA replication, repair, recombination, and transcription. They are present in all living organisms, but vary in their structure, function, and mechanism of action. For example, in prokaryotes, DnaB helicase binds and translocates...

Microtubules in Cell Motility

Microtubules in Cell Motility

Microtubules are thick hollow cylindrical proteins that help form the cytoskeleton. Microtubules have varied roles in the cell. These filaments help form cellular appendages like cilia and flagella, which are responsible for locomotion. The cilia arise from basal bodies, separated from the main body by a membrane-like structure forming the transition zone. This zone is the gate for the entry of lipids and proteins, creating a unique composition of lipids and proteins in the ciliary membrane and...

Anaphase A and B

Anaphase A and B

Microtubules form through the end-to-end polymerization of tubulin heterodimers. Kinetochore microtubules originate from the spindle poles, and their plus-ends connect with the kinetochores on sister-chromatids. Ndc80 protein complexes, present on the kinetochore, form low-affinity links with the plus end of these kinetochore microtubules.
Plus-end depolymerization releases tubulin heterodimers from the terminal region of the microtubule. As tubulin subunits are lost, the Ndc80 complexes detach...

Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria

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Intracellular bacteria and viruses often comprise a group of highly infectious pathogens that can cause several diseases. Bacterial pathogens include those belonging to the genus Rickettsia responsible for conditions such as rocky mountain spotted fever and the Mediterranean spotted fever; Chlamydia, a genus responsible for a sexually transmitted disease; Coxiella burnetii, an agent responsible for Q fever. Viral pathogens include vaccinia—a poxvirus, and herpes simplex virus—a virus that...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Production of Dynein and Kinesin Motor Ensembles on DNA Origami Nanostructures for Single Molecule Observation

Production of Dynein and Kinesin Motor Ensembles on DNA Origami Nanostructures for Single Molecule Observation

Published on: October 15, 2019

DNA based molecular motors.

Jens Michaelis¹, Adam Muschielok, Joanna Andrecka

¹Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS(M)), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstr 11, 81377 München, Germany; Center for Nanoscience (CeNS) and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS(M)), Germany.

Physics of Life Reviews

|April 27, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Mechanical forces are crucial for cellular processes. Single-molecule manipulation and force spectroscopy reveal the mechanistic details of protein and DNA molecular machines, advancing molecular biology understanding.

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Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Biophysics
Biochemistry

Background:

Cellular processes like polymerization, gene expression, and regulation are fundamentally mechanical.
Understanding these mechanical underpinnings is key to advancing molecular biology.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight the importance of controlled mechanical investigations in molecular biology.
To showcase the power of single-molecule techniques in elucidating molecular mechanisms.

Main Methods:

Single-molecule manipulation
Force spectroscopy

Main Results:

These techniques provide mechanistic insights into protein and DNA functions at the single-molecule level.
Demonstrated application in studying RNA polymerases and viral DNA packaging by molecular motors.

Conclusions:

Single-molecule force spectroscopy is a powerful tool for dissecting the mechanics of molecular machines.
This approach offers a detailed, mechanistic understanding of essential biological processes.