Two Tau binding sites on tubulin revealed by thiol-disulfide exchanges.

ABSTRACT: Tau is a Microtubule-associated protein that induces and stabilizes the formation of the Microtubule cytoskeleton and plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases. The Microtubules binding region of Tau has been determined for a long time but where and how Tau binds to its partner still remain a topic of debate. We used Site Directed Spin Labeling combined with EPR spectroscopy to monitor Tau upon binding to either Taxol-stabilized MTs or to αβ-tubulin when Tau is directly used as an inducer of MTs formation. Using maleimide-functionalized labels grafted on the two natural cysteine residues of Tau, we found in both cases that Tau remains highly flexible in these regions confirming the fuzziness of Tau:MTs complexes. More interestingly, using labels linked by a disulfide bridge, we

SUBMITTER: Martinho M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6138654 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature