Kinesin KIFC1 Actively Transports Double-Stranded DNA in Eukaryotic Cells

We discovered that exogenous double-stranded DNA molecules are actively transported through the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. This transport is related to the activity of molecular motors belonging to the kinesin-14 family: KIFC1 and NCD.This result was achieved through in cellula single molecule experiments, which allowed us observing the motion of the naked DNA molecules in HeLa cells, in real time. These experiments were complemented by mass spectroscopy measurements to isolate the motor(s) responsible for this active transport. Eventually, the NCD driven transport of dsDNA molecules was reproduced in an in-vitro minimal system.