High impact information on KIFC2

• Identification and characterization of new family members (in particular KIFC2, 16 new KIFs, XKlp2 and XKCM1 of the kinesin superfamily, and DHC2 and DHC3 of the dynein superfamily) and further characterization of known family members have improved our understanding of these cellular mechanisms [1].
• To better understand the role of kinesins in axonal transport, we cloned and characterized KIFC2, a novel kinesin superfamily member from mouse brain [2].
• KIFC2 encodes a 792 amino acid protein, which contains the conserved motor domain at the C-terminal end of the protein and is most similar to members of the KAR3 family involved in cell division [2].
• Finally, ligation of mouse peripheral nerves showed that KIFC2 accumulates at the proximal and distal sides of an axonal ligature [2].
• However, expression analysis localized KIFC2 mRNA to nonproliferative neuronal cells in the central nervous system, and immunolocalization studies demonstrated that KIFC2 is present in axons and dendrites of neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems [2].

Anatomical context of KIFC2

• Immunolocalization and biochemical fractionation studies suggest that KIFC2 localizes with some, but not all, axonally transported organelles [2].

References