Kinesins and myosins transport cargos to specific locations along microtubules and actin filaments, respectively. Some cells rely exclusively on actin-based transport while others mainly use microtubules. Using fission yeast, researchers asked whether one transport system can substitute for the other.
They engineered a chimera between the motor domain of the kinesin and the globular tail of the myosin--which transports a myosin cargo receptor--to cell poles along microtubules. Remarkably, this chimera restores polarized growth and viability to cells lacking actin cables. Thus, a synthetic motor protein successfully redirects cargos along a distinct cytoskeletal route.
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