Many of the kinesin microtubule motor proteins discovered during the past 8
-9 years have roles in spindle assembly and function or chromosome movement
during meiosis or mitosis. The discovery of kinesin motor proteins with a
clear involvement in spindle and chromosome motility, together with recent
evidence that cytoplasmic dynein plays a role in chromosome distribution, h
as attracted great interest. The identification of microtubule motors that
function in chromosome distribution represents a major advance in understan
ding the forces that underlie chromosome and spindle movements during cell
division.