Mouse Myosin XVa

Myosins comprise a class of molecular motors that§move along actin filaments and deliver cargo to§specific cellular compartments. This book provides a§detailed examination of the mouse myosin XVa§biological function, characterization of full-length§mouse inner ear myosins VIIa, VIIb, X and XVa cDNA§transcripts and the cellular targeting of myosins§VIIa, VIIb, X and XVa in mouse inner ear hair cells.§Stereocilia are actin-filled projections on the§apical surface of inner ear hair cells that detect§mechanical stimuli of sound and head movement. The§precise arrangement of stereocilia rows in a§staircase-like pattern required for normal function§is disrupted by the failure of myosin XVa to deliver§whirlin to stereocilia tips resulting in deafness and§vestibular defects. In transfected mouse hair cells§deficient for myosin XVa function, the domains of§myosin XVa required for stereocilia tip targeting§were different than those required in the§re-initiation of stereocilia elongation and staircase§formation. The information in this book should be§especially useful to investigators in the fields of§neuroscience, biophysics, genetics and cell biology.