How dynein and dynactin transport cargos: a structural perspective

Recent structures of the dynein motor in three different conformations reveal how it uses ATP hydrolysis to move along microtubules. Attention is now turning to how cytoplasmic dynein-1 and dynactin act together to carry cargos. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has revealed the structure of dynactin and how it binds dynein in the presence of a cargo adaptor protein Bicaudal-D2 (BICD2). Future questions will include how dynein-1 transports so many different cargos and how the 2.4 MDa dynein/dynactin transport machine is regulated.