Intraflagellar transport dynein is autoinhibited by trapping of its mechanical and track-binding elements

Cilia are multi-functional organelles that are constructed using intraflagellar transport (IFT) of cargo to and from their tip. It is widely held that the retrograde IFT motor, dynein-2, must be controlled in order to reach the ciliary tip and then unleashed to power the return journey. However, the mechanism is unknown. Here, we systematically define the mechanochemistry of human dynein-2 motors as monomers, dimers, and multi-motor assemblies with kinesin-II. Combining these data with insights from single-particle electron microscopy, we discover that dynein-2 dimers are intrinsically autoinhibited. Inhibition is mediated by trapping dynein-2’s mechanical “linker” and “stalk” domains within a novel motor-motor interface. We find that linker-mediated inhibition enables efficient transport of dynein-2 by kinesin-II in vitro. These results suggest a conserved mechanism for autoregulation among dimeric dyneins, which is exploited as a switch for dynein-2’s recycling activity during IFT

Teaming up: from motors to people

When I reflect on how I became a cell biologist and why I love being one today, one thing that comes to mind is the many terrific collaborations I have had. The science I am most proud of from my graduate and postdoctoral training would not have been possible without working in teams with other scientists. Now, in my own group, much of our best work is being done collaboratively, both within the lab and with other labs. In this essay, I will highlight my experiences working in teams as a trainee, the role teamwork has played in my own research group, and how important I think collaborative science is for the future of biological research

Formation of ring-shaped microtubule assemblies through active self-organization on dynein

Microtubule (MT)-kinesin, a biomolecular motor system, is a promising candidate for construction of artificial biomachines for a variety of nanotechnology applications. An active self-organization (AcSO) method involving a specific streptavidin (St)-biotin (Bt) interaction has been developed to assemble MTs into a highly ordered structure by exploiting their motility on a kinesincoated surface. Dynein is another biomolecular motor that moves along the MTs in the opposite direction from kinesin. Dynein has not yet been used to demonstrate the AcSO of MTs. In this study, we report the first successful demonstration of the AcSO of MTs on a dynein-coated surface to produce ring-shaped MT assemblies similar to those of kinesin. We found that ring-shaped MT assemblies obtained on dynein showed equal clockwise and counterclockwise rotational motion. This work will enrich the building blocks for designing future oriented motor protein-based artificial devices