Moving plant proteins
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Moving plant proteins are molecular motor proteins that transform chemical energy (ATP) into movements. Plants have three types of moving proteins which all have a similar purpose, but are distinguished from each other by their unique physical motion method.
Many eukaryotes have moving proteins, but the function in plants differs to some extent.
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[edit] Function
Moving proteins have a function in the intracellular organisation. The cytoskeleton provides a 'path' for moving proteins on which they can transport cellular structures.
[edit] Kinesin
Kinesin is a moving protein of which it has been established that the movement conforms more to the model of a 'walking motion', rather than to the model of a worm-like motion. This means that kinesin has two 'feet', protein sections of which one sticks to a filament while the second foot is slid forward. After the second foot is moved a section the roles are turned.
Lack of kinesin, by mutation or in knock-out studies, is non-viable since kinesin is required for movement of chromosomes during nuclear division. In division, Kinesin uses a microtubule track along which it “walks”. It also transports, in plants, mitochondria, Golgi bodies, and vesicles within the body of the cell.
[edit] Plant-specific functions
Plant cells differ from animal cells in that they have a cell wall. The building of cell walls, a stage in the division of plant cells that lacks in animal cells, requires these moving proteins. It is a process that is not yet fully understood, although research is conducted in the field (1).
[edit] Dynein
The second type of motile protein in plants is called dynein, which is capable of a sliding movement. Dynein also interacts with microtubules as a system to move upon.
[edit] Myosin
The third type of motor, or moving, protein is myosin, vital in the process of plant cell division, Myosin also sometimes manifests through a process called "cytoplasmic streaming", wherein the flowing current of cytoplasm cycles through the leaves of certain plants. Unlike the other two proteins, myosin interacts with microfilaments in order to move about, comparable to a mini-musculature system. Both of these - microfilaments and microtubules, are components of the cytoskeletal system in a plant, and they are also made of different forms of protein.
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources
The project covers the scientific activities of the project leader, Prof. B.M. Mulder, who has been appointed as part-time Professor of Theoretical Cell Physics at the Department of Plant Sciences, WUR, in the Laboratory of Plant Cell Biology headed by Prof. Emons.
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