MOLECULAR MOTORS AND THEIR ROLE IN MEMBRANE TRAFFIC

Recent investigations support a role for the vesicle motor proteins (k inesin, cytoplasmic dynein, and myosin) in numerous membrane trafficki ng events including endocytosis and transcytosis. Kinesin and cytoplas mic dynein are responsible for movement of membrane vesicles along cel lular microtubules to and from cellular membrane compartments, while c ertain members of the myosin family also appear to drive membrane vesi cles along actin filaments to and from membrane compartments. In this review, our current understanding of the role of these vesicle motors in membrane trafficking is highlighted. Future areas of interest which may be able to make use of these vesicle motors as potential targets for drug delivery are also discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.