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biology

KIF5A

KIF5A 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 KIF5A rather than just read about it. In short: Kinesin family member 5A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KIF5A gene. It is part of the kinesin family of motor proteins.

KIF5A — main illustration
KIF5A — illustration

Key takeaways

  • KIF5A belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect KIF5A to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of KIF5A from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Kinesin family member 5A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KIF5A gene. It is part of the kinesin family of motor proteins. This gene encodes a member of the kinesin family of proteins. Members of this family are part of a multi-subunit complex that functions as a microtubule motor in intracellular organelle transport. Mutations in this gene cause autosomal dominant spastic paraplegia 10.

Interactions KIF5A has been shown to interact with KLC1.

Clinical significance Mutations in KIF5A have been reported to cause hereditary spastic paraplegia type 10 (SPG1). Mutations in KIF5A have also been found to cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. KIF5A has been shown to play a role in Alzheimer's disease by modulating the toxic effect of beta-amyloid on axonal transport of mitochondria.

References

Further reading

External links Overview of all the structural information available in the PDB for UniProt: Q12840 (Kinesin heavy chain isoform 5A) at the PDBe-KB.

Illustrations

KIF5A illustration
KIF5A illustration
KIF5A illustration
KIF5A illustration
KIF5A illustration

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with KIF5A

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what KIF5A 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 KIF5A 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 KIF5A 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 KIF5A

In research
KIF5A 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 KIF5A 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
KIF5A is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Genes on human chromosome 12, Human chromosome 12 gene stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for KIF5A 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 KIF5A in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what KIF5A means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain KIF5A out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is KIF5A in simple terms?

Kinesin family member 5A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KIF5A gene. It is part of the kinesin family of motor proteins.

Why does KIF5A 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 KIF5A?

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 KIF5A.

Tags

  • Genes on human chromosome 12
  • Human chromosome 12 gene stubs

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