biology

KIF4A

KIF4A is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand KIF4A rather than just read about it. In short: Kinesin family member 4A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KIF4A gene. Function Kinesins, such as KIF4A, are microtubule-based motor proteins that generate directional movement along microtubules.

Key takeaways

KIF4A belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect KIF4A to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of KIF4A from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Kinesin family member 4A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KIF4A gene.

Function Kinesins, such as KIF4A, are microtubule-based motor proteins that generate directional movement along microtubules. They are involved in many crucial cellular processes, including cell division.

Interactions KIF4A has been shown to interact with HMG20B and DNMT3B.

Clinical significance NTCP is the entry receptor for both Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis D viruses (HDV). KIF4 was found to play an essential role in HBV and HDV infection through its regulation of the retrograde transport of NTCP from the cytoplasm to the cell surface where it acts as a receptor for HBV/HDV infection.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with KIF4A

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what KIF4A claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to KIF4A before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about KIF4A ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of KIF4A

In research: KIF4A appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses KIF4A in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: KIF4A is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Genes on human chromosome X, Human chromosome X gene stubs, Human proteins, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for KIF4A outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study KIF4A in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what KIF4A means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain KIF4A out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is KIF4A in simple terms?

Kinesin family member 4A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KIF4A gene. Function Kinesins, such as KIF4A, are microtubule-based motor proteins that generate directional movement along microtubules.

Why does KIF4A matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study KIF4A?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on KIF4A.