Molecular phylogeny of the kinesin family of microtubule motor proteins

Abstract

The rapidly expanding kinesin family of microtubule motor proteins includes proteins that are involved in diverse microtubule-based functions in the cell. Phylogenetic analysis of the motor regions of the kinesin proteins reveals at least five clearly defined groups that are likely to identify kinesins with different roles in basic cellular processes. Two of the groups are consistent with overall sequence similarity, while two groups contain proteins that are related in overall structure or function but show no significant sequence similarity outside the motor domain. One of these groups consists only of kinesin proteins with predicted C-terminal motor domains; another includes only kinesins required for mitotic spindle bipolarity. Drosophila Nod, presently an ungrouped protein, may represent a class of kinesins that, like the myosin I proteins, function as monomers. The analysis indicates that many types of kinesin proteins exist in eukaryotic organisms. At least two of the five groups identified in this analysis are expected to be present in most, or all, eukaryotes.