Dated: /12/2020

Motor proteins & Cytoskeletal Filaments

(Microtubules & Microfilaments)

1/2/2021 Prof. Arvind Kumar 1

 Microtubules, Intermediate Filaments and Actin Filaments
Properties Microtubules Intermediate Actin Filaments
Filaments
Sub-units incorporated GTP-αβ ~70 different proteins, ATP-actin monomers
into polymer incorporated as tetramers

Preferential site of + End (β-tubulin) Internal + End (Harbed)

incorporation
Polarity Yes No Yes
Enzymatic activity GTPase None ATPase
Motor proteins Kinesins, Dyneins None Myosins
Major group of MAPs Plakins Actin-binding proteins
association of proteins
Structure Stiff, Hollow, Inextensible Tough, Flexible, Flexible, inextensible
tube Extensible Helical
Dimensions 25 nm outer Diam. (wall 10-12 nm Diam. 8nm Diam.
thickness 4nm)
Distribution All Eukaryotes Animals All Eukaryotes
Primary functions Support, Intracellular Structural support, Motility; Contractility;
transport, Cell organization Mechanical strength Intracellular transport
Sub-cellular distributions Cytoplasm Cytoplasm & Nucleus Cytoplasm

(Myosin (-ve):520 kDa; Kinesins (-ve): 380kDa; Dynein: (+ve)1000kDa)

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Kinesin-I (Isolated from squid giant axons by Ronald Vale et al. 1985)
Superfamily: Kinesin related proteins (KRPs); Family: Kinesin1-14
(common evolutionary ancestry )
Head:Force generating Engine,
Tail: Cargo domain
Motor domain; similar to myosin
ATPase

Attach with
ATPase Different
adoptars

(Diverse sequence)

Exception:
(Mass:380 kDa) Cycles: Enzymatic & Kinesin-14, opposite movement;Kinsein-13, no movement
Mechanical Kinsein-13 is microtubules depolymerases

-ve end +ve end

1 μm/sec; Velocity α ATP concentration; Each step 8nm (length of one tubulin); movement hand-over-hand mechanism

Can move up to 1 μm without falling: Processive movement-swinging

(Myosin (-ve):520 kDa; Dynein: (+ve)1000kDa)
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Mitochondria in KIF5B
Gene deficient cells are (varieties)
absent Functions of stem is
In the peripheral region of (Head) not well known
cell.
Called cytoplasmic dynein
Dynein (1000kDa/1.5 purified from Mammalian brain
KIF5B encodes heavy chains. tissues
Dalton million)
Roles:
* Positioning spindle and moving
chromosome (mitosis)
Adaptor protein
* Positioning centrosome & GC,
Moving organelles, vesicles and
Particles etc,

•Transport of organelles towards

Center in non-neuronal cells e.g.
Endosomes, lysosomes, RNA
Molecules, HIV-viruses towards
nucleus

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 Conventional
Myosin II (520kDa)

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 Silicone coated cover slip Incubated with Actin filaments
Sliding movement of actin over heads

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 Heads point
Tails point Away from
Toward the center
center

Heads pull actin filaments toward one another occur in muscle cells

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 Unconventional myosin-V
Obstacles in the way of swinging movement due to
Neck or lever arm (ATP is used) in vitro
Devoid of tail

Unconventional myosin-V
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 • Questions

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