A bipolar kinesin

Article

关键词: ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY;    MITOTIC SPINDLE;    FISSION YEAST;    IN-VITRO;    PROTEIN;    MOTOR;    MICROTUBULES;    GENE;    ORGANIZATION;    ANTIBODY;   

DOI  :  10.1038/379270a0

来源: SCIE

【 摘 要 】

CHROMOSOME Segregation during mitosis depends on the action of the mitotic spindle, a self-organizing, bipolar protein machine which uses microtubules (MTs) and their associated motors(1,2). Members of the BimC subfamily of kinesin-related MT-motor proteins are believed to be essential for the formation and functioning of a normal bipolar spindle(3-14). Here we report that KRP(130), a homotetrameric BimC-related kinesin purified from Drosophila melanogaster embryos(13), has an ultrastructure. It consists of four kinesin-related polypeptides assembled into a bipolar aggregate with motor domains at opposite ends, analogous to a miniature myosin filament(15). Such a bipolar 'minifilament' could crosslink spindle MTs and slide them relative to one another. We do not know of any other MT motors that have a bipolar structure.

【 授权许可】

Free