Molecular motors as cargo transporters in the cell — The good, the bad and the ugly

Abstract

Single molecule properties of the cargo transporting processive molecular motors myosin-V, kinesin-1 and cytoplasmic dynein have been reported. These different classes of motors are known to cooperate during intracellular transport, and multiple motors (of same or different types) are simultaneously present on a given cellular cargo. However, differences in function are observed between these classes of motors—they have different force production ability, have a different average run length and step along their respective filaments using different size steps. Overall, the robustness of the motion they generate could be different. Is this apparent heterogeneity important for intracellular transport? Here we present a brief discussion of how the properties of these motors might be adapted to their coordinated function in vivo.