The cytoplasmic dynein transport machinery and its many cargoes

Abstract

<p class="first" id="P3">Cytoplasmic dynein-1 is an important microtubule-based motor in many eukaryotic cells. Dynein has critical roles both in interphase and during cell division. Here we focus on interphase cargoes of dynein, which include membrane-bound organelles, RNAs, protein complexes and viruses. A central challenge in the field is to understand how a single motor can transport such a diverse array of cargoes and how this process is regulated. The molecular basis by which each cargo is linked to dynein and its cofactor dynactin has started to emerge. Of particular importance for this process is a set of coiled coil proteins — ‘activating adaptors’ — which both recruit dynein–dynactin to their cargoes and activate dynein motility. </p>