Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026
05:52
Reconstitution of Msp1 Extraction Activity with Fully Purified Components
Published on: August 10, 2021
Protein adaptation: mitotic functions for membrane trafficking proteins
1Division of Biomedical Cell Biology, Warwick Medical School, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK. s.j.royle@warwick.ac.uk
Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology
|August 15, 2013
Summary
Many proteins involved in membrane trafficking also play roles in cell division (mitosis). This highlights the adaptability of cellular machinery, showing how it can be repurposed for distinct functions.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Membrane trafficking and mitosis are fundamental eukaryotic cellular processes.
- Several proteins primarily known for membrane trafficking exhibit secondary roles in mitosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the connection between membrane trafficking proteins and their roles in mitosis.
- To understand the implications of shared proteins in distinct cellular functions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and analysis of protein functions.
- Comparative analysis of protein localization and activity during mitosis and membrane trafficking.
Main Results:
- Identified numerous proteins with dual roles in both membrane trafficking and mitosis.
- Found insufficient evidence for a direct, causative link between the two processes.
- Observed that shared proteins are not necessarily indicative of a unified functional pathway.
Conclusions:
- The repurposing of membrane trafficking proteins in mitosis demonstrates cellular machinery adaptability.
- These findings underscore the flexibility of the cell's molecular toolkit.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms of protein moonlighting across cellular processes.
Related Concept Videos
01:12Adaptability of Cytoskeletal Filaments
The cytoskeleton is a complex dynamic structure performing varied functions based on cellular requirements. The adaptability of the individual filaments in the cytoskeleton determines their ability to perform various functions within the cell. It can undergo rapid reorganization during processes like cell division or remain stable for several hours as in the interphase. The adaptability of these filaments depends on stringent regulatory mechanisms. The microfilament and microtubules of the...
01:42Microtubule Associated Proteins (MAPs)
Microtubule function and architecture are regulated by an array of specialized proteins called microtubule-associated proteins or MAPs. These proteins are widespread across different organisms and have conserved protein motifs, like the multi-TOG domain for tubulin binding found in the CLASP family of MAPs. Some MAPs are lineage-specific based on their conserved domains. Their functions depend upon the cytoskeletal architecture and cell type they are located within. In-plant cells, a specific...
01:33Coat Assembly and GTPases
Vesicles incorporate different coat protein subunits in different cell locations, which changes the properties of the coat, such as the shape and geometry of the transport vesicles. Thus, vesicle coat proteins also play a significant role in cargo selection.
Coat assembly depends on the local availability of phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs and GTP-binding proteins. Adaptor proteins, which link the coat proteins to the membrane, bind to these PIPs and play a crucial role in controlling...
Coat assembly depends on the local availability of phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs and GTP-binding proteins. Adaptor proteins, which link the coat proteins to the membrane, bind to these PIPs and play a crucial role in controlling...
01:44Introduction to Membrane Traffic
The ER, Golgi apparatus, endosomes, and lysosomes work in tandem to modify, sort, and package proteins and lipids. An integrated membrane trafficking network facilitates the back and forth shuttling of molecules within different organelles in the same cell or across the cell membrane.
The transport of soluble and membrane proteins is mediated by transport vesicles that collect cargo from one cellular compartment and deliver it to another by fusing with the target organelle membrane. The Rab...
The transport of soluble and membrane proteins is mediated by transport vesicles that collect cargo from one cellular compartment and deliver it to another by fusing with the target organelle membrane. The Rab...
01:13Cytoskeletal Accessory Proteins
The cytoskeleton is an essential cell component that plays several structural and functional roles. However, the filaments that make up the cytoskeleton cannot function independently and depend on the accessory or ancillary proteins to effectively carry out their function. Accessory proteins associate with cytoskeletal filaments and their monomers, aiding filament formation and function. They also help in the cross-communication among cytoskeletal filaments. Cytoskeletal accessory proteins are...
01:32Microtubule 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...