Ron Vale (UCSF, HHMI) 1: Molecular Motor Proteins

Molecular motor proteins are fascinating enzymes that power much of the movement performed by living organisms. In this introductory lecture, I will provide an overview of the motors that move along cytoskeletal tracks (kinesin and dynein which move along microtubules and myosin which moves along actin). The talk first describes the broad spectrum of biological roles that kinesin, dynein and myosin play in cells. The talk then discusses how these nanoscale proteins convert energy from ATP hydrolysis into unidirectional motion and force production, and compares common principles of kinesin and myosin. The talk concludes by discussing the role of motor proteins in disease and how drugs that modulate motor protein activity can treat human disease.

Part 2 discusses recent work from the Vale laboratory and other groups, on the mechanism of movement by dynein, a microtubule motor that is less well understood than kinesin and myosin. The lecture discusses the unusual properties of dynein stepping along microtubules, which have been uncovered using single molecule techniques. The nucleotide-driven structural changes in the dynein motor domain (elucidated by X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy) are also described. A model for dynein movement in the form of an animation is presented. However, much remains to be done in order to understand how this motor works and to test which elements of this model are correct.

The third (last) part of the lecture explains how the movement of mammalian dynein is regulated by other proteins such dynactin and adapter proteins. It also describes the effect of post-translational modifications of tubulin on dynein motility. This talk features the use of single molecule imaging techniques and biochemical reconstitution to study these problems. Unanswered questions on dynein regulation are also presented.

Speaker Biography:
Ron Vale is a Professor of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He is also the founder of the iBiology project.

Vale received a B.A. degree in biology and chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Ph.D. degree in neuroscience from Stanford University. His graduate and postdoctoral studies at the Marine Biological Laboratory led to the discovery of kinesin, a microtubule-based motor protein.

Dr. Vale’s honors include the Pfizer Award in enzyme chemistry, the Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, and elections to the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Besides studying the mechanism of motor proteins, Vale’s laboratory studies mitosis, RNA biology, and the mechanism of T cell signaling.

[Sumedha]

Thank you for incredibly clear presentation on molecular motors. It is great to hear about these wonders of life from someone who is actually working on them.

[UberNemo]

A fascinating presentation by an expert lecturer. Very didactic, recent examples, gorgeous and appropriate illustrations and open-ended questions. I wish ALL my professors were that good when I was in grad school! Well done Ron !! Thanks ! More please...

[Cambria]

We truly are little machines! Awe inspiring and beautifully presented. Thank you. My mother died from heart failure. It was a hard way to go. It is so exciting to see such fundamental progress moving towards the treatment of that and so many other diseases. My hat is off to the scientists and their students who work so hard to "light a candle in the darkness". I feel fortunate to be able to see these things taking shape in my lifetime.

[squadmoralerestored]

What drew me into science was stuff like this, looking into the forefront of our understanding. What excites me today is that there has never been a better time to have access to this info and to also take part in pushing even further.

[aceace]

I'm speechless. What additional knowledge will we gain in 10, 100, 1000 years.

[tomasmieger]

Dear Prof. Dr. Ron Vale, this is one of the best lectures I saw since a long time. As a physicist I am really deeply impressed how concrete molecules works. Furthermore, as you told by showing the medical treatment examples, it shows what tremendous possibilities contains. Thank you very much, Sir.

[CristiVladZ]

the graphics are killer. explanation atop! thank you.

[emlmm]

Those motor proteins that change their direction in response to blue light are amazing! I can't believe that's possible! It's almost like the light is taking the place of a catalyst. Really cool!

[HansLemurson]

I remember learning that the inside of cells was just a "chemical soup" where everything just mixed together.
But no, it is a much more ordered and organized system full of paths, rails, and active transport. Cells are much more "machine" than we used to think.

[JO-mgxc]

Dr. Vale, you are not only a great educator but a first class scientist! My hat off to you (I don't wear hats, but if I did...)

[alisaberi]

Although little I know about biology, I understood this lecture. Thank you Ron Vale!

[jeffreyreed]

This is the best explanation of molecular proteins I have seen or read! Thank you for making this clear and presenting it so well!

[mike]

This is so different from traditional school teaching. Elites teaches like a package, connecting dots, fascinating and fantastic. This will definitely transform the average people

[alyssarudolph]

Covered everything I need to know for my biochem II exam next week, so thankful I found this video as well as your channel. You are now my biochem lifeline.

[tcqcqlm]

whenever i watch these kind of cellular machinery videos, there always comes a point in the video where i'll just be sitting here half-asleep and then i see something where the sheer complexity of life clicks in my head and the realization leaves me almost falling out of my seat, pulse racing,

[nunyabuizness]

It's amazing how complex even a single cell can be.

[nagualdesign]

(13:20) It's incredible to think that such a tiny motor protein can transport the entire cell nucleus. I mean, tug boats are pretty impressive when you see them helping to move large ships around but with these tiny proteins it's like pulling a Panamax ship with a rowboat.

[ricksymons]

Fantastic video, explanation and discussion. The use of animation allows an understanding of the conclusions of a staggering number of biochemical and molecular biology studies and hours of laboratory work. Ron Vale gives a very lucid explanation of the concepts.

[-NGC--]

One of the few instances where I don’t care when someone messes up a word - this is pretty cool content, I love learning about it

[noscreadur]

A wonderful lecture. I'm not a biologist, but I found the concepts explored here christal clear and fascinating. Thank you.