Kinesin-associated protein 3 (KIFAP3)

Kinesin-associated protein 3 (KIFAP3, KAP3) is a non-motor, accessory subunit of the heterotrimeric kinesin-2 motor protein complex, which consists of KIF3A/B or KIF3C and KAP3 itself. It oligomerizes with KIF3A and KIF3B or KIF3C to mediate microtubule-dependent intracellular trafficking of various cargoes, including the tumor suppressor APC, endocytic receptors, and neuronal proteins. KIFAP3 is essential for processes such as mitosis (including spindle assembly and chromosome segregation), endosomal/lysosomal localization, and neuronal axonal transport. It contains multiple 'Armadillo' repeats and interacts with regulatory proteins such as smg GDS, thereby playing a role in regulating the membrane binding of small G proteins. Variants and altered expression of KIFAP3 have been associated with increased survival in ALS, and KIFAP3 may be important in both neurodegenerative disease mechanisms and cancer biology. KIFAP3 is not itself a direct therapeutic target, and no drugs are known to act on it directly at this time.

Other names

KAP3KIF3APSMAPKAP-3FLA3KAP-1Smg GDS-associated proteindJ190I16.1small G protein GDP dissociation stimulatorsmg GDS