UNCONVENTIONAL MYOSINS IN CELL-MOVEMENT, MEMBRANE TRAFFIC, AND SIGNAL-TRANSDUCTION

In the past few years genetic, biochemical, and cytolocalization data have implicated members of the myosin superfamily of actin-based molec ular motors in a variety of cellular functions including membrane traf ficking, cell movements, and signal transduction. The importance of my osins is illustrated by the identification of myosin genes as targets for disease-causing mutations. The task at hand is to decipher how the multitude of myosins function at both the molecular and cellular leve l-a task facilitated by our understanding of myosin structure and func tion in muscle.