It is now clear that kinesin-like-proteins (KLP), generally thought to be responsible for the transport of cellular cargoes, are involved in many different cellular processes now being widely investigated. In Kinesin Protocols, Isabelle Vernos and a panel of hands-on experts present their most productive and reproducible techniques for the identification, purification, and characterization of the kinesin superfamily of microtubule-dependent motors. The methods range from the most basic to the most sophisticated and include step-by-step instructions and extensive cautionary notes to ensure experimental success. Among the approaches discussed are methods to express and purify kinesins in different systems, to characterize microtubule-enhanced ATPase activity and motility properties, and to test microtubule destabilizing activity. Detailed examples of how to address functional studies are also presented, along with some very new methods for studying the role of KLP in the organization of microtubules in three dimensions. There are also advanced methods for the study of kinesins at the structural level.
Comprehensive and highly practical, Kinesin Protocols makes available all the key basic and cutting-edge methods needed successfully to study the multifaceted world of kinesin-like proteins and to explore their many functions.