Kinesin-73 in the Nervous System of Drosophila Embryos

Kinesin-73 cDNA was shown to encode a kinesin heavy chain protein that contains an N-terminal motor domain and a long central region that lacks extensive coiled-coils. The amino acid sequence of the motor domain of kinesin-73 protein is most closely related to the motor domains of Caenorhabditis elegans unc-104 and mouse KIF1A. The central region of kinesin-73 protein also is related to unc-104 and KIF1A, but the homology is lower than that of the motor domain. The C-terminal region of kinesin-73 protein contains a cytoskeleton associated protein Gly-rich domain, which is a putative microtubule binding site that is present in some cytoskeleton or dynein-associated proteins. Kinesin-73 mRNA was shown by in situ hybridization to be maternally expressed and widely distributed in the syncytial blastoderm embryo. However, later in Drosophila embryo development, expression of the kinesin-73 gene becomes restricted mostly to the central and peripheral nervous systems.