Conformational analysis of the carboxy-terminal tails of human beta-tubulin isotypes.

ABSTRACT: Several isotypes of the structural protein tubulin have been characterized. Their expression offers a plausible explanation for differences regarding microtubule function. Although sequence variation between tubulin isotypes occurs throughout the entire protein, it is the extreme carboxy-terminal tails (CTTs) that exhibit the greatest concentration of differences. In humans, the CTTs range in length from 9 to 25 residues and because of a considerable number of glutamic acid residues, contain over 1/3 of tubulin's total electrostatic charge. The CTTs are believed to be highly disordered and their precise function has yet to be determined. However, their absence has been shown to result in altered microtubule stability and a reduction in the interaction with several microtubule-associated pr

SUBMITTER: Luchko T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2257898 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature