KIF1C facilitates retrograde transport of lysosomes through Hook3 and dynein.

Lysosomes, crucial cellular organelles, undergo bidirectional transport along microtubules, mediated by motor proteins such as cytoplasmic dynein-1 (dynein) and various kinesins. While the kinesin-3 family member KIF1C is established in mediating anterograde vesicle transport, its role in lysosomal transport remains unclear. Our study reveals that KIF1C unexpectedly supports the retrograde transport of lysosomes, driven by dynein, and contributes to their perinuclear localization. Notably, while KIF1C facilitates this perinuclear positioning, its motor activity is not required and, instead, exerts an inhibitory effect on this process. Mechanistically, KIF1C facilitates this process by interacting with the dynein-activating adaptor Hook3, which associates with the lysosome-anchored protein RUFY3. This regulatory mechanism is critical for the efficient degradation of cargo in autophagic and endocytic pathways. Our findings identify an unconventional, non-motor role for KIF1C in activating dynein-driven lysosomal transport, expanding our understanding of its functional diversity in cellular trafficking.