home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- **********************************
- * Kinesin motor domain signature *
- **********************************
-
- Kinesin [1] is a microtubule-associated force-producing protein that may play
- a role in organelle transport. Kinesin is an oligomeric complex composed of
- two heavy chains and two light chains. The kinesin motor activity is directed
- toward the microtubule's plus end.
-
- The heavy chain is composed of three structural domains: a large globular N-
- terminal domain which is responsible for the motor activity of kinesin (it is
- known to hydrolyze ATP and to bind microtubule), a central alpha-helical
- coiled coil domain that mediates the heavy chain dimerization; and a small
- globular C-terminal domain which interacts with other proteins (such as the
- kinesin light chains), vesicles and membranous organelles.
-
- A number of proteins have been recently found that contain a domain similar
- to that of the kinesin 'motor' domain [2]:
-
- - Drosophila claret segregational protein (ncd). Ncd is required for normal
- chromosomal segregation in meiosis, in females, and in early mitotic
- divisions of the embryo. The ncd motor activity is directed toward the
- microtubule's minus end.
- - Drosophila kinesin-like protein (nod). Nod is required for the distributive
- chromosome segregation of nonexchange chromosomes during meiosis.
- - Human CENP-E [3]. CENP-E is a protein that associates with kinetochores
- during chromosome congression, relocates to the spindle midzone at
- anaphase, and is quantitatively discarded at the end of the cell division.
- CENP-E is probably an important motor molecule in chromosome movement and/
- or spindle elongation.
- - Human mitotic kinesin-like protein-1 (MKLP-1), a motor protein whose
- activity is directed toward the microtubule's plus end.
- - Yeast KAR3 protein, which is essential for yeast nuclear fusion during
- mating. KAR3 may mediate microtubule sliding during nuclear fusion and
- possibly mitosis.
- - Yeast CIN8 and KIP1 proteins [4] which are required for the assembly of the
- mitotic spindle. Both proteins seem to interact with spindle microtubules
- to produce an outwardly directed force acting upon the poles.
- - Fission yeast cut7 protein, which is essential for spindle body duplication
- during mitotic division.
- - Emericella nidulans bimC, which plays an important role in nuclear
- division.
- - Emericella nidulans klpA [5].
- - Caenorhabditis elegans unc-104, which may be required for the transport of
- substances needed for neuronal cell differentiation.
- - Caenorhabditis elegans unc-116.
- - Xenopus Eg5, which may be involved in mitosis.
-
- The kinesin motor domain is located in the N-terminal part of most of the
- above proteins, with the exception of KAR3, klpA, and ncd where it is located
- in the C-terminal section.
-
- The kinesin motor domain contains about 330 amino acids. An ATP-binding motif
- of type A is found near position 80 to 90, the C-terminal half of the domain
- is involved in microtubule-binding. The signature pattern for that domain is
- derived from a conserved decapeptide inside the microtubule-binding part.
-
- -Consensus pattern: [GS]-[KRHSTQ]-[LIVMF]-x-[LIVMF]-[IVC]-D-L-[AH]-G-[SAN]-E
- -Sequences known to belong to this class detected by the pattern: ALL.
- -Other sequence(s) detected in SWISS-PROT: NONE.
- -Last update: June 1994 / Text revised.
-
- [ 1] Vallee R.B., Shpetner H.S.
- Annu. Rev. Biochem. 59:909-932(1990).
- [ 2] Endow S.A.
- Trends Biochem. Sci. 16:221-225(1991).
- [ 3] Yen T.J., Li G., Schhar B.T., Szilak I., Cleveland D.W.
- Nature 359:536-539(1992).
- [ 4] Saunders W.S., Hoyt M.A.
- Cell 70:451-458(1992).
- [ 5] O'Connell M.J., Meluh P.B., Rose M.D., Morris N.R.
- J. Cell Biol. 120:153-162(1993).
-