Class V β-tubulin alters dynamic instability and stimulates microtubule detachment from centrosomes.

ABSTRACT: A multigene family produces tubulin isotypes that are expressed in a tissue-specific manner, but the role of these isotypes in microtubule assembly and function is unclear. Recently we showed that overexpression or depletion of β5-tubulin, a minor isotype with wide tissue distribution, inhibits cell division. We now report that elevated β5-tubulin causes uninterrupted episodes of microtubule shortening and increased shortening rates. Conversely, depletion of β5-tubulin reduces shortening rates and causes very short excursions of growth and shortening. A tubulin conformation-sensitive antibody indicated that the uninterrupted shortening can be explained by a relative absence of stabilized patches along the microtubules that contain tubulin in an assembly-competent conformation and normally

SUBMITTER: Bhattacharya R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3069006 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature