Backseat drivers: Regulation of dynein motility

Abstract

Control of the activity of the microtubule motor cytoplasmic dynein 1 is essential for its function in intracellular transport. A recent paper by McKenney et al. published in Science shows that activation of processive dynein motility requires the formation of cargo adaptor-dynein-dynactin complexes.

Figure 1

Schematic showing proposed organization of an active dynein-dynactin-cargo complex. Cargo (e.g., an endosome) couples to the motor complex via surface receptors (e.g., a Rab GTPases) that recruit specific adaptor proteins (e.g., BiCD2, Hook). These in turn recruit dynein/dynactin and stabilize their association, supporting the microtubule binding and processivity of the dynein-dynactin complex.