The
unc-104 gene is capable of encoding a kinesin-related protein ( Otsuka et al., Neuron, in press). Comparison of the presumed
unc-104 'motor' domain to the ATPase and microtubule-binding region of members of the kinesin family demonstrates the greatest sequence identity in the putative ATP-binding domain [GYN-TIFAYGQTGSGKTYTM-G] and in conserved elements of unknown function, some of which may be involved in microtubule-binding [GIIPR, VK-S(Y/F)-E(I/L)YNE, DLL, R-VA-T--N-- SSRSH-VF-I, SGKL-LVDLAGSE, GAEG-R--E--NINKSL--LG-VI-AL, HIPYR(D/E)SKLT- LLQ-SLGG, N--ET-STL-(F/Y)A-RAK--(R/K)]. In the figure below, residues that are identical in 5 or more sequences are listed below the compilation and asterisks mark residues that are identical in all sequences. [See Figure 1]