Cytoplasmic dynein acts as a motor for the intracellular retrograde motility of vesicles and organelles along microtubules. Dynein has ATPase activity; the force-producing power stroke is thought to occur on release of ADP. Required to maintain uniform nuclear distribution in hyphae. May play an important role in the proper orientation of the mitotic spindle into the budding daughter cell yeast. Probably required for normal progression of the cell cycle. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:15642746}.