Microtubule defects influence kinesin-based transport in vitro.

ORAL

Abstract

Microtubules are protein polymers that form ``molecular highways'' for long-range transport within living cells. Molecular motors actively step along microtubules to shuttle cellular materials between the nucleus and the cell periphery; this transport is critical for the survival and health of all eukaryotic cells. Structural defects in microtubules exist, but whether these defects impact molecular motor-based transport remains unknown. Here, we report a new, to our knowledge, approach that allowed us to directly investigate the impact of such defects. Using a modified optical-trapping method, we examined the group function of a major molecular motor, conventional kinesin, when transporting cargos along individual microtubules. We found that microtubule defects influence kinesin-based transport in vitro. The effects depend on motor number: cargos driven by a few motors tended to unbind prematurely from the microtubule, whereas cargos driven by more motors tended to pause. To our knowledge, our study provides the first direct link between microtubule defects and kinesin function. The effects uncovered in our study may have physiological relevance in vivo.

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Authors

  • Winnie Liang

    UC Merced

  • Ethan Anderes

    UC Davis, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab - ALS, National Institute of Standards and Technology - NCNR, Univ of California - Davis, University of California, Davis, California State University, Long Beach, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Merced, UC Merced, U Central Florida, Paul Scherrer Institute, Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, Hartnell Comm Coll, University of Michigan, University of Nevada, Reno, National Security Technologies LLC, Livermore, California, Humboldt State University, Stanford University, San Diego State Univ, Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, University Of Nevada Reno, Univ of Nevada - Reno, University of Chicago, Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA, Institute for Academic Initiatives, PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Joint Institute for High Temperatures, PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Institute for Academic Initiatives, Joint Institute for High Temperatures, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, Department of Physics, UC Davis, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Univeristy of California Irvine, 92697, Department of Chemistry and of Physics, Univeristy of California Irvine, 92697, Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 76100, Einstein Centre for Local-Realistic Physics, Cal State Long Beach, University of nevada, Reno, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland, University of Maryland, CERN, Univ of California, Davis

  • Ethan Anderes

    UC Davis, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab - ALS, National Institute of Standards and Technology - NCNR, Univ of California - Davis, University of California, Davis, California State University, Long Beach, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Merced, UC Merced, U Central Florida, Paul Scherrer Institute, Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, Hartnell Comm Coll, University of Michigan, University of Nevada, Reno, National Security Technologies LLC, Livermore, California, Humboldt State University, Stanford University, San Diego State Univ, Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, University Of Nevada Reno, Univ of Nevada - Reno, University of Chicago, Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA, Institute for Academic Initiatives, PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Joint Institute for High Temperatures, PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Institute for Academic Initiatives, Joint Institute for High Temperatures, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, Department of Physics, UC Davis, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Univeristy of California Irvine, 92697, Department of Chemistry and of Physics, Univeristy of California Irvine, 92697, Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 76100, Einstein Centre for Local-Realistic Physics, Cal State Long Beach, University of nevada, Reno, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland, University of Maryland, CERN, Univ of California, Davis

  • Ethan Anderes

    UC Davis, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab - ALS, National Institute of Standards and Technology - NCNR, Univ of California - Davis, University of California, Davis, California State University, Long Beach, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Merced, UC Merced, U Central Florida, Paul Scherrer Institute, Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, Hartnell Comm Coll, University of Michigan, University of Nevada, Reno, National Security Technologies LLC, Livermore, California, Humboldt State University, Stanford University, San Diego State Univ, Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, University Of Nevada Reno, Univ of Nevada - Reno, University of Chicago, Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA, Institute for Academic Initiatives, PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Joint Institute for High Temperatures, PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Institute for Academic Initiatives, Joint Institute for High Temperatures, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, Department of Physics, UC Davis, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Univeristy of California Irvine, 92697, Department of Chemistry and of Physics, Univeristy of California Irvine, 92697, Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 76100, Einstein Centre for Local-Realistic Physics, Cal State Long Beach, University of nevada, Reno, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland, University of Maryland, CERN, Univ of California, Davis

  • Ethan Anderes

    UC Davis, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab - ALS, National Institute of Standards and Technology - NCNR, Univ of California - Davis, University of California, Davis, California State University, Long Beach, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Merced, UC Merced, U Central Florida, Paul Scherrer Institute, Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, Hartnell Comm Coll, University of Michigan, University of Nevada, Reno, National Security Technologies LLC, Livermore, California, Humboldt State University, Stanford University, San Diego State Univ, Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, University Of Nevada Reno, Univ of Nevada - Reno, University of Chicago, Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA, Institute for Academic Initiatives, PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Joint Institute for High Temperatures, PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Institute for Academic Initiatives, Joint Institute for High Temperatures, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, Department of Physics, UC Davis, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Univeristy of California Irvine, 92697, Department of Chemistry and of Physics, Univeristy of California Irvine, 92697, Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 76100, Einstein Centre for Local-Realistic Physics, Cal State Long Beach, University of nevada, Reno, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland, University of Maryland, CERN, Univ of California, Davis

  • Ethan Anderes

    UC Davis, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab - ALS, National Institute of Standards and Technology - NCNR, Univ of California - Davis, University of California, Davis, California State University, Long Beach, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Merced, UC Merced, U Central Florida, Paul Scherrer Institute, Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, Hartnell Comm Coll, University of Michigan, University of Nevada, Reno, National Security Technologies LLC, Livermore, California, Humboldt State University, Stanford University, San Diego State Univ, Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, University Of Nevada Reno, Univ of Nevada - Reno, University of Chicago, Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA, Institute for Academic Initiatives, PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Joint Institute for High Temperatures, PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Institute for Academic Initiatives, Joint Institute for High Temperatures, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, Department of Physics, UC Davis, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Univeristy of California Irvine, 92697, Department of Chemistry and of Physics, Univeristy of California Irvine, 92697, Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 76100, Einstein Centre for Local-Realistic Physics, Cal State Long Beach, University of nevada, Reno, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland, University of Maryland, CERN, Univ of California, Davis