A novel C-terminal kinesin subfamily may be involved in chromosomal movement in caenorhabditis elegans

FEBS Lett. 2000 Mar 17;470(1):70-6. doi: 10.1016/s0014-5793(00)01258-8.

Abstract

C-terminal kinesin motor proteins, such as the Drosophila NCD and yeast KAR3, are involved in chromosomal segregation. Previously we have described two orthologs of NCD in Caenorhabditis elegans, KLP-3 and KLP-17, which also participate in chromosome movement. Here we report cDNA cloning of klp-15 and klp-16, and the expression pattern of the genes encoding C-terminal motor kinesins including klp-15 and klp-16. Interestingly KLP-15 and KLP-16 form a unique class of C-terminal kinesins, distinct from the previously known C-terminal motors in other organisms. Using in situ hybridization and RNA interference assay, we show that although all of these motors mediate chromosome segregation, they do so in a combination of unique and overlapping manners, suggesting a complex hierarchy of kinesin motor function in metazoans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins*
  • Chromosome Segregation
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA, Helminth
  • Gene Expression
  • Helminth Proteins / genetics
  • Helminth Proteins / physiology*
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Kinesins / genetics
  • Kinesins / physiology*
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • RNA, Helminth
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • DNA, Helminth
  • Helminth Proteins
  • KLP-15 protein, C elegans
  • KLP-16 protein, C elegans
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • RNA, Helminth
  • Kinesins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AB031233
  • GENBANK/AB032080
  • GENBANK/AB033380