Distinct functional roles of β-tubulin isotypes in microtubule arrays of Tetrahymena thermophila, a model single-celled organism.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The multi-tubulin hypothesis proposes that each tubulin isotype performs a unique role, or subset of roles, in the universe of microtubule function(s). To test this hypothesis, we are investigating the functions of the recently discovered, noncanonical β-like tubulins (BLTs) of the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila. Tetrahymena forms 17 distinct microtubular structures whose assembly had been thought to be based on single α- and β-isotypes. However, completion of the macronuclear genome sequence of Tetrahymena demonstrated that this ciliate possessed a β-tubulin multigene family: two synonymous genes (BTU1 and BTU2) encode the canonical β-tubulin, BTU2, and six genes (BLT1-6) yield five divergent β-tubulin isotypes. In this report, we examine the structural features and f

SUBMITTER: Pucciarelli S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3382179 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature