Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 21, 2025

Identification of Kinesin-1 Cargos Using Fluorescence Microscopy
08:06

Identification of Kinesin-1 Cargos Using Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: February 14, 2016

8.1K

The kinesin KIF1C transports APC-dependent mRNAs to cell protrusions

Xavier Pichon1,2, Konstadinos Moissoglu3, Emeline Coleno1,2,4

  • 1Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.

RNA (New York, N.Y.)
|September 8, 2021
PubMed

Insights

The KIF1C motor protein transports messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to cellular protrusions, crucial for cell migration. This motor protein also clusters these mRNAs, revealing a novel RNA transport pathway in mammalian cells.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • RNA localization and local translation are vital for cellular functions.
  • Specific mRNAs in mammals are directed to cytoplasmic protrusions in an Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC)-dependent manner, impacting cell migration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanism of mRNA localization to cytoplasmic protrusions.
  • To identify the molecular players involved in APC-dependent mRNA transport.

Main Methods:

  • Live cell imaging to observe single mRNA transport.
  • Two-color imaging to visualize motor-RNA interactions.
  • Investigating the role of the KIF1C motor protein and microtubule involvement.

Main Results:

  • KIF1C motor protein interacts with and is required for the localization of APC-dependent mRNAs.
  • KIF1C mediates rapid, active, long-distance transport of single mRNAs along microtubules.
  • The 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of mRNA is sufficient to mediate KIF1C-dependent transport and localization.
  • KIF1C is essential for the formation of peripheral, multimeric RNA clusters.

Conclusions:

  • KIF1C motor protein plays a dual role in transporting and clustering RNAs within cytoplasmic protrusions.
  • A widespread RNA transport pathway involving KIF1C in mammalian cells has been uncovered.
  • KIF1C's self-transport of its own mRNA suggests a potential autoregulatory feedback loop.
Keywords:
RNA localizationRNA transportcytoplasmic protrusionslocal translation

More Related Videos

Characterizing the Composition of Molecular Motors on Moving Axonal Cargo Using "Cargo Mapping" Analysis11:09

Characterizing the Composition of Molecular Motors on Moving Axonal Cargo Using "Cargo Mapping" Analysis

Published on: October 30, 2014

9.7K
Measuring Axonal Cargo Transport in Mouse Primary Cortical Cultured Neurons04:39

Measuring Axonal Cargo Transport in Mouse Primary Cortical Cultured Neurons

Published on: February 24, 2023

427

Related Concept Videos

The Movement of Organelles and Vesicles01:43

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,...
5.0K
Microtubule Associated Motor Proteins01:32

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...
8.8K
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker...
5.0K
Anaphase Promoting Complex00:50

Anaphase Promoting Complex

The stepwise destruction of specific proteins is necessary for the progression and completion of the cell cycle. Such proteins are ubiquitinated by ubiquitin ligases and then subsequently destroyed by the proteasome. The SCF (Skp1/Cullin/F-box) and the anaphase-promoting complex (APC) are two important ubiquitin ligases involved in cell cycle progression. While SCF is active throughout the cell cycle, APC gets activated during metaphase to anaphase transition. Cdc20 or Cdh1 binds to APC and...
3.0K
Regulated mRNA Transport02:22

Regulated mRNA Transport

In eukaryotes, transcription and translation are compartmentalized; an mRNA is first synthesized in the nucleus and then selectively transported to the cytoplasm for protein synthesis. Before transport, a pre-mRNA undergoes several steps of post-transcriptional modifications including splicing, 5' capping, and the addition of a poly-adenine tail. Various proteins bind to the pre-mRNA during these modifications. The mRNA transport takes place with the help of multiple proteins playing...
6.5K
Anaphase A and B01:39

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...
4.3K