In nature, DNA molecules carry the hereditary information. But DNA has physical and
chemical properties that make it attractive for uses beyond heredity. In this Review, we …

Phosphoinositides play a crucial role in regulating many cellular functions, such as actin
dynamics, signaling, intracellular trafficking, membrane dynamics, and cell–matrix adhesion …

Two mechanisms have been proposed for the function of motor proteins: The power stroke
and the Brownian ratchet. The former refers to generation of a large downhill free energy …

Neurons are highly polarized cells with an elongated axon that extends far away from the
cell body. To maintain their homeostasis, neurons rely extensively on axonal transport of …

The intracellular transport of organelles, proteins, lipids, and RNA along the axon is
essential for neuronal function and survival. This process, called axonal transport, is …

Motor proteins are key players in exerting spatiotemporal control over the intracellular
location of membrane-bound compartments, including endosomes containing cargo. In this …

Kinesins are microtubule-based motor proteins that are well known for their key roles in cell
biological processes ranging from cell division, to intracellular transport of mRNAs, proteins …

This article is an accessible introduction to ratchets and their potential uses. A ratchet can
dramatically improve directional transport of classical or quantum particles in systems that …

Kinesins drive the transport of cellular cargoes as they walk along microtubule tracks;
however, recent work has suggested that the physical act of kinesins walking along …

Microtubules are critical for a variety of important functions in eukaryotic cells. During
intracellular trafficking, molecular motor proteins of the kinesin superfamily drive the …