Within a cell, microtubules span from the nucleus to the cell membrane, and the motor protein kinesin “walks” along them, carrying cargo from one area of the cell to another. However, this system can ...

The motion of motor proteins on biopolymers is important for diverse biological processes. Actin, microtubules, and nucleic acids can serve as one-dimensional tracks on which motor proteins move.

Instead of a donut-shaped laser, the microscope relies on linear beams which capture movement in a straight line. With this strategy, Hell’s team fluorescently tagged and tracked a motor protein ...