Half-Site Inhibition of Dimeric Kinesin Head Domains by Monomeric Tail Domains David D. Hackney Nahyeon Baek Avin C. Snyder 10.1021/bi8022575.s001 https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Half_Site_Inhibition_of_Dimeric_Kinesin_Head_Domains_by_Monomeric_Tail_Domains/2862442 The two heavy chains of kinesin-1 are dimerized through extensive coiled coil regions and fold into an inactive conformation through interaction of the C-terminal tail domains with the N-terminal motor (head) domains. Although this potentially allows a dimer of tail domains to interact symmetrically with a dimer of head domains, we report here that only one of the two available monomeric tail peptides is sufficient for tight binding and inhibition of a dimer of head domains. With a dimeric tail construct, the other tail peptide does not make tight contact with the head dimer and can bind a second head dimer to form a complex containing one tail dimer and two head dimers. The IAK domain and neighboring positively charged region of the tail is sufficient for tight half-site interaction with a dimer of heads. The interaction of tails with monomeric heads is weak, but a head dimer produced by the dimerization of the neck coil is not required because an artificial dimer of head domains also binds monomeric tail peptides with half-site stoichiometry in the complete absence of the native neck coil. The binding of tail peptides to head dimers is fast and readily reversible as determined by FRET between mant-ADP bound to the head dimer and a tail labeled with GFP. The association and dissociation rates are 81 μM<sup>−1</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> and 32 s<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. This half-site interaction suggests that the second tail peptide in a folded kinesin-1 might be available to bind other molecules while kinesin-1 remained folded. 2009-04-21 00:00:00 head domains head dimer head dimers Dimeric Kinesin Head Domains IAK tail peptide Monomeric Tail DomainsThe FRET neck coil monomeric tail peptides GFP