July 2nd - In the Lab

Back in the lab......Will write later what we did...... :-)

I looked up more info on motor proteins and, consequently, the cytoskeleton. Read up on actin filaments, intermediate filaments and microtubules which are part of the cytoskeleton. The microtubules are the ones we are interested in since the motor proteins "walk" along them. Microtubules have a plus and minus side. Plus side is where polymerization of tubulin occurs and the minus side is unstable so it must be attached to centrosome. Kinesin motor proteins move towards the plus side; endoplasmic reticulum seems to be moved by the kinesin. Dynein motor proteins move towards the minus side; Golgi apparatus seems to be moved by the dynein. Taxol is an important chemical when dealing with microtubules since it binds to them and stabilizes them.