KINESIN AND DYNEIN SUPERFAMILY PROTEINS IN ORGANELLE TRANSPORT AND CELL-DIVISION

Microtubule-associated motor proteins of the kinesin and dynein superf amilies play important roles in cellular mechanisms such as organelle transport and mitosis. Identification and characterization of new fami ly members (in particular KIFC2, 16 new KIFs, XKlp2 and XKCM1 of the k inesin superfamily, and DHC2 and DHC3 of the dynein superfamily) and f urther characterization of known family members have improved our unde rstanding of these cellular mechanisms. Sophisticated biophysical and structural analyses of monomeric and dimeric motor proteins have contr ibuted to elucidating the mechanisms behind motor protein motility and polarity.