Conformational states of the microtubule nucleator, the γ-tubulin ring complex.

ABSTRACT: Microtubules (MTs) perform essential functions in the cell, and it is critical that they are made at the correct cellular location and cell cycle stage. This nucleation process is catalyzed by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), a cone-shaped protein complex composed of over 30 subunits. Despite recent insight into the structure of vertebrate γ-TuRC, which shows that its diameter is wider than that of a MT, and that it exhibits little of the symmetry expected for an ideal MT template, the question of how γ-TuRC achieves MT nucleation remains open. Here, we utilized single particle cryo-EM to identify two conformations of γ-TuRC. The helix composed of 14 γ-tubulins at the top of the γ-TuRC cone undergoes substantial deformation, which is predominantly driven by bending of the hinge between

SUBMITTER: Romer B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10769196 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature