Background Information | Myosins are a superfamily of molecular motor proteins found in eukaryotic cells. Motor proteins are involved in muscular contraction, cytokinesis, short-range membrane/vesicle transport and a host of other cellular processes. The myosins are responsible for actin-based motility by using the energy of ATP hydrolysis to generate force and movement along actin filaments. There are many isoforms of myosin of which some have specialized functions in certain cell types (such as muscle), while other isoforms are ubiquitous. Myosin X belongs to a group of myosin isoforms known as unconventional myosins that participate in cellular processes ranging from membrane trafficking to signaling and cell motility. Myosin X is concentrated at the tips of filopodia and Myosin X rich regions travel forward and backward along filopods, (Berg, 2002). It also appears that Myosin X functions in actual filopodia formation, (Bohil, 2006). |