Molecular mechanism of direction of kinesins

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K07022
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biophysics
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Yajima Junichiro 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 准教授 (00453499)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 須河 光弘 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 助教 (80626383)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-10-21 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: キネシン / 微小管 / バイオナノマシーン / Ncd

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We made the minimal motor domain constructs for plus-ended kinesins, minus-ended kinesins and kinesin-1 - kinesin-14 chimeras. Kinesin monomers were engineered such that they could be anchored via either their N- or C-termini, leaving the opposite terminal regions mechanically disconnected from the surface. We find that the conserved catalytic motor core of minus-end-directed motor kinesin-14 has intrinsic plus-end directionality and that the proper interaction of the C-terminal neck-helix region and the N-terminal neck-mimic region are required to achieve minus-end directionality.

Free Research Field

生物物理