Walking the walk: how kinesin and dynein coordinate their steps

Arne Gennerich, Ronald D. Vale

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

237 Scopus citations

Abstract

Molecular motors drive key biological processes such as cell division, intracellular organelle transport, and sperm propulsion and defects in motor function can give rise to various human diseases. Two dimeric microtubule-based motor proteins, kinesin-1 and cytoplasmic dynein can take over one hundred steps without detaching from the track. In this review, we discuss how these processive motors coordinate the activities of their two identical motor domains so that they can walk along microtubules.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)59-67
Number of pages9
JournalCurrent Opinion in Cell Biology
Volume21
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cell Biology

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