Abstract:
Members of the Unc104/KIF1 class of kinesin-like proteins move along microtubules and transport different cargos. The kif1b gene encodes for two isoforms: KIF1Balpha, which is involved in anterograde transport of mitochondria, and KIF1Bbeta, which transports synaptic vesicle precursors. KIF1Balpha shares a high degree of sequence homology with the 14-3-3 binding kinesin KIF1C. The current work shows that KIF1Balpha is also a 14-3-3 binding protein. The 14-3-3 binding is regulated by Akt and is crucial for cell spreading and cytoskeletal stability.