一种多尺度的方法揭示了自抑制基因素KIF5AA的分子结构

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,...

The destabilization of microtubules can occur during different stages of the microtubule lifecycle, such as nucleation or elongation. It can take place at either end of the microtubule or in the microtubule lattices as a whole. The lifespan of individual microtubules within a cell varies according to the cell type and stage of the cell cycle. During interphase, the lifespan of the microtubule is about 30 minutes, while during cell division, it is about 15 minutes. In axonal microtubules of...

The cytoskeletal architecture can be studied using different microscopic and biochemical techniques. Electron microscopy was instrumental in discovering the cytoskeletal architecture around the 1960s, which allowed obtaining structural information at a high-resolution level. However, the sample preparation procedure often limits this ability in biological samples. Several protocols have been developed over the years to optimize sample preparation. In one of the protocols known as rotary...

Intermediate filaments (IFs) do not undergo spontaneous disassembly. Enzymes, kinases, and phosphatases add and remove phosphates from specific sites to regulate their disassembly. The IF concentration in the cytoplasm also regulates the disassembly. If the concentration crosses a threshold, it activates the protein kinases in the vicinity, allowing the phosphorylation of IFs.
Keratin proteins, found at the cell periphery near cell junctions, undergo a cycle of assembly and disassembly. In Type...

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...