Linking molecular motors to membrane cargo

Anna Akhmanova, JA Hammer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

176 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Three types of motors, myosins, kinesins, and cytoplasmic dynein, cooperate to transport intracellular membrane organelles. Transport of each cargo is determined by recruitment of specific sets of motors and their regulation. Targeting of motors to membranes often depends on the formation of large multiprotein assemblies and can be influenced by membrane lipid composition. Motor activity can be regulated by cargo-induced conformational changes such as unfolding or dimerization. The architecture and function of motor: cargo complexes can also be controlled by phosphorylation, calcium signaling, and proteolysis. The complexity of transport systems is further increased by mechanical and functional cross-talk between different types of motors on the same cargo and by participation of the same motor in the movement of different organelles.
Original languageUndefined/Unknown
Pages (from-to)479-487
Number of pages9
JournalCurrent Opinion in Cell Biology
Volume22
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2010

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