Single cytoplasmic dynein molecule movements: characterization and comparison with kinesin

Z. Wang, S. Khan, M. P. Sheetz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

150 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cytoplasmic dynein is a major microtubule motor for minus-end directed movements including retrograde axonal transport. To better understand the mechanism by which cytoplasmic dynein converts ATP energy into motility, we have analyzed the nanometer-level displacements of latex beads coated with low numbers of cytoplasmic dynein molecules. Cytoplasmic dynein-coated beads exhibited greater lateral movements among microtubule protofilaments (ave. 5.1 times/microns of displacement) compared with kinesin (ave. 0.9 times/micron). In addition, dynein moved rearward up to 100 nm over several hundred milliseconds, often in correlation with off-axis movements from one protofilament to another. We suggest that single molecules of cytoplasmic dynein move the beads because 1) there is a linear dependence of bead motility on dynein/bead ratio, 2) the binding of beads to microtubules studied by laser tweezers is best fit by a first-order Poisson, and 3) the run length histogram of dynein beads follows a first-order decay. At the cellular level, the greater disorder of cytoplasmic dynein movements may facilitate transport by decreasing the duration of collisions between kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein-powered vesicles.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2011-2023
Number of pages13
JournalBiophysical journal
Volume69
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1995
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biophysics

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