Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 10, 2026

Biophysical Characterization of Flagellar Motor Functions
06:08

Biophysical Characterization of Flagellar Motor Functions

Published on: January 18, 2017

Motoring along the hyphae: molecular motors and the fungal cytoskeleton

R A Yamashita1, G S May

  • 1Department of Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030-3498, USA.

Current Opinion in Cell Biology
|March 4, 1998
PubMed

Insights

This review covers molecular motors in filamentous fungi, focusing on kinesins, myosins, and dynein. These cytoskeletal proteins are crucial for fungal growth, cell division, and intracellular transport.

Area of Science:

  • Fungal Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Filamentous fungi utilize microfilament and microtubule cytoskeletal systems.
  • Recent advances integrate genetic and biochemical data, expanding knowledge of kinesins.
  • Understanding septation genes and cytokinesis interactions enhances knowledge of microfilament systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review molecular motors within fungal microfilament and microtubule systems.
  • To highlight recent findings on myosins, kinesins, and cytoplasmic dynein.
  • To elucidate the roles of these motors in fungal morphogenesis and organelle transport.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent genetic and biochemical data.
  • Analysis of findings on conventional and unconventional myosins.
  • Examination of research on kinesin family motors and cytoplasmic dynein.

Main Results:

  • Significant progress in understanding kinesins due to integrated data.
  • Enhanced comprehension of microfilament-based systems through septation and cytokinesis gene interactions.
  • Identification of roles for microfilament and microtubule motors in hyphal development and transport.

Conclusions:

  • Molecular motors are essential for fungal hyphal morphogenesis.
  • Cytoskeletal-based transport systems are critical for intracellular functions in fungi.
  • Further research integrating genetic and biochemical data will continue to advance the field.

More Related Videos

Production of Dynein and Kinesin Motor Ensembles on DNA Origami Nanostructures for Single Molecule Observation08:09

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

Published on: October 15, 2019

Motility of Single Molecules and Clusters of Bi-Directional Kinesin-5 Cin8 Purified from S. cerevisiae Cells10:46

Motility of Single Molecules and Clusters of Bi-Directional Kinesin-5 Cin8 Purified from S. cerevisiae Cells

Published on: February 2, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Microtubules01:35

Microtubules

There are three types of cytoskeletal structures in eukaryotic cells—microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. With a diameter of about 25 nm, microtubules are the thickest of these fibers. Microtubules carry out a variety of functions that include cell structure and support, transport of organelles, cell motility (movement), and the separation of chromosomes during cell division.Microtubules are hollow tubes whose walls are made up of globular tubulin proteins. Each tubulin...
Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria01:10

Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria

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...
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 cargos...
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,...
Microtubules in Cell Motility01:24

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...
Microtubules in Cell Motility01:24

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...