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-Structure paper
Title | The cryo-EM structure of a γ-TuSC elucidates architecture and regulation of minimal microtubule nucleation systems. |
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Journal, issue, pages | Nat Commun, Vol. 11, Issue 1, Page 5705, Year 2020 |
Publish date | Nov 11, 2020 |
Authors | Erik Zupa / Anjun Zheng / Annett Neuner / Martin Würtz / Peng Liu / Anna Böhler / Elmar Schiebel / Stefan Pfeffer / |
PubMed Abstract | The nucleation of microtubules from αβ-tubulin subunits is mediated by γ-tubulin complexes, which vary in composition across organisms. Aiming to understand how de novo microtubule formation is ...The nucleation of microtubules from αβ-tubulin subunits is mediated by γ-tubulin complexes, which vary in composition across organisms. Aiming to understand how de novo microtubule formation is achieved and regulated by a minimal microtubule nucleation system, we here determined the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the heterotetrameric γ-tubulin small complex (γ-TuSC) from C. albicans at near-atomic resolution. Compared to the vertebrate γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), we observed a vastly remodeled interface between the SPC/GCP-γ-tubulin spokes, which stabilizes the complex and defines the γ-tubulin arrangement. The relative positioning of γ-tubulin subunits indicates that a conformational rearrangement of the complex is required for microtubule nucleation activity, which follows opposing directionality as predicted for the vertebrate γ-TuRC. Collectively, our data suggest that the assembly and regulation mechanisms of γ-tubulin complexes fundamentally differ between the microtubule nucleation systems in lower and higher eukaryotes. |
External links | Nat Commun / PubMed:33177498 / PubMed Central |
Methods | EM (single particle) |
Resolution | 3.6 Å |
Structure data | EMDB-11835, PDB-7anz: |
Source |
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Keywords | CYTOSOLIC PROTEIN / gamma-Tubulin Small Complex / Cytoskeleton / Microtubule nucleation |