Myosins: A Superfamily of Molecular Motors

Few would have predicted 20 years ago that myosins constitute a superfamily with at least two-dozen classes and that these molecular motors are involved in a multitude of intracellular activities including cell division, cell movement, intracellular transport and signal transduction. Application of state-of-the-art cellular and molecular biological, structural biological, genetic, biochemical and biophysical techniques has provided and continues to provide critical information regarding the structure-function relationship; and the cellular roles of various myosins in organisms as diverse as protozoa, yeast, plants and higher animals. The association of myosins with diseases including neurological disorders, immu- deficiencies, cardiomyopathies, hearing and vision loss testify to the importance of understanding the biochemical properties and cellular roles of myosins. The 16 chapters in this volume summarize the tremendous progress made in studying members of the myosin superfamily in recent years and offer critical insight into what future research will yield. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the authors of this volume. It was a pleasure to work with each of you and I thank you for the considerable efforts in making this international endeavor possible. I also thank John Trinick from the University of Leeds, UK, for the elegant montage of images of single molecules of myosins on the cover, which beautifully shows the structures of some of these amazing molecules. The able assistance of Marlies Vlot from Springer and Indumadhi Srinivasan from Integra Software Services for production of the book is greatly appreciated.

Lynne Coluccio, PhD, began her career at Boston University as a Principal Scientist at the Boston Biomedical Research Institute (BBRI) in 1996. After the institute was closed in 2013, she became a Research Associate in the Department of Physiology & Biophysics at the Boston University School of Medicine and has remained since then. While at the BBRI, she played a variety of roles on the committee including as a chair of the Faculty Search Committee and as a member of the Public Relations Committee. Throughout her she career she has mentored dozens of students who have gone into academia, medicine, teaching, and music.