Structure of a microtubule-bound axonemal dynein

Abstract

Axonemal dyneins are tethered to doublet microtubules inside cilia to drive ciliary beating but the mechanisms regulating their localization and function are poorly understood. Here authors report a cryo-EM reconstruction of a three-headed axonemal dynein natively bound to doublet microtubules isolated from cilia which provides a framework to understand the roles of individual subunits.