Mitochondria-adaptor TRAK1 promotes kinesin-1 driven transport in crowded environments

Abstract

Intracellular trafficking of organelles is driven by kinesin-1 stepping along microtubules, but crowding conditions impede kinesin-1 motility. Here authors demonstrate that TRAK1, an adaptor protein essential for mitochondrial trafficking, activates kinesin-1 and increases robustness of kinesin-1 stepping on crowded microtubule surfaces.