Call for papers: Cell Biology of Motors

Extended submission deadline: 30 August 2022

Image credit: Ferdos Abid Ali, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK

Journal of Cell Science is pleased to welcome submissions for consideration for an upcoming special issue, Cell Biology of Motors, which will be guest edited by Anne Straube (University of Warwick, UK). 

Cells have evolved elaborate mechanisms to ensure their plethora of cellular cargoes are moved to the right locations at the appropriate time. This is achieved using a relatively small set of the molecular motors myosins, dyneins and kinesins. These motors keep us moving by converting the chemical energy of ATP into mechanical energy to generate force and movement. Although we do know a great deal about molecular motors and their properties, we still lack important insights into some of the most basic questions concerning their function such as the coordination, regulation and molecular basis of motor recruitment and activity on their cargoes. In addition, we don’t possess a full repertoire of the cargoes motors can move, nor do we understand how their non-motor domains mediate their recruitment in the first place. Moreover, while there are common themes in many cell types, the actual number and repertoire of myosin, kinesin and dynein motors varies between different organisms, and we do not understand the cellular functions of many of these additional motors.   

We therefore invite you to showcase your breakthrough research on all aspects of cell biology as it relates to molecular motors for this special issue, which is scheduled for publication in early 2023. Please note, however, that in our continuous publication model, we will be able to publish your article shortly after it is accepted; you will not have to wait for the rest of the issue to be ready.

We encourage submissions of Research Articles and Short Reports, and Tools & Resources papers. Articles must be received by 30 August 2022 for consideration for the special issue. Please refer to our author guidelines for information on preparing your manuscript for Journal of Cell Science, and submit your manuscript via our online submission system. Please highlight that your submission is to be considered for the special issue in your cover letter. This special issue is intended to have a broad scope, so we are open to articles from a wide spectrum of areas. For rapid feedback on the potential suitability of an article for this special issue, please submit a presubmission enquiry.

• Submissions handled by expert academic editors
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Journal of Cell Science is a Transformative Journal and offers several publishing options that comply with Open Access funder mandates. We offer fee-free Open Access publishing to corresponding authors of institutions that have a Read & Publish agreement with The Company of Biologists. Check to see if your institute is taking part in our Read & Publish initiative.