Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Myosin-Specific Adaptations of In vitro Fluorescence Microscopy-Based Motility Assays
Published on: February 4, 2021
Myosins: Domain Organisation, Motor Properties, Physiological Roles and Cellular Functions
Thomas A Masters1, John Kendrick-Jones2, Folma Buss3
1Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, UK. tam55@cam.ac.uk.
None:
Myosins are cytoskeletal motor proteins that use energy derived from ATP hydrolysis to generate force and movement along actin filaments. Humans express 38 myosin genes belonging to 12 classes that participate in a diverse range of crucial activities, including muscle contraction, intracellular trafficking, cell division, motility, actin cytoskeletal organisation and cell signalling. Myosin malfunction has been implicated a variety of disorders including deafness, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Usher syndrome, Griscelli syndrome and cancer. In this chapter, we will first discuss the key structural and kinetic features that are conserved across the myosin family. Thereafter, we summarise for each member in turn its unique functional and structural adaptations, cellular roles and associated pathologies. Finally, we address the broad therapeutic potential for pharmacological interventions that target myosin family members.
Related Concept Videos
Overview of Myosin Structure and Function
Role of Myosin in Cell Migration
Myosin II is a hexamer comprising two heavy chains with globular heads and coiled-coil tails, two regulatory light chains, and two essential light chains. The ATPase sites on the myosin heads hydrolyze ATP, and the released phosphate generates the force for contraction....
Actin and Myosin in Muscle Contraction
The Sarcomere
Each...
Mechanical Protein Functions
Microtubule Associated Motor Proteins

