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-Structure paper
Title | Cryo-EM of α-tubulin isotype-containing microtubules revealed a contracted structure of α4A/β2A microtubules. |
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Journal, issue, pages | Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai), Vol. 55, Issue 10, Page 1551-1560, Year 2023 |
Publish date | Jul 13, 2023 |
Authors | Lei Diao / Wei Zheng / Qiaoyu Zhao / Mingyi Liu / Zhenglin Fu / Xu Zhang / Lan Bao / Yao Cong / |
PubMed Abstract | Microtubules are hollow α/β-tubulin heterodimeric polymers that play critical roles in cells. In vertebrates, both α- and β-tubulins have multiple isotypes encoded by different genes, which are ...Microtubules are hollow α/β-tubulin heterodimeric polymers that play critical roles in cells. In vertebrates, both α- and β-tubulins have multiple isotypes encoded by different genes, which are intrinsic factors in regulating microtubule functions. However, the structures of microtubules composed of different tubulin isotypes, especially α-tubulin isotypes, remain largely unknown. Here, we purify recombinant tubulin heterodimers composed of different mouse α-tubulin isotypes, including α1A, α1C and α4A, with the β-tubulin isotype β2A. We further assemble and determine the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of α1A/β2A, α1C/β2A, and α4A/β2A microtubules. Our structural analysis demonstrates that α4A/β2A microtubules exhibit longitudinal contraction between tubulin interdimers compared with α1A/β2A and α1C/β2A microtubules. Collectively, our findings reveal that α-tubulin isotype composition can tune microtubule structures, and also provide evidence for the "tubulin code" hypothesis. |
External links | Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) / PubMed:37439022 / PubMed Central |
Methods | EM (single particle) |
Resolution | 4.2 - 4.4 Å |
Structure data | EMDB-35790: GMPCPP-Alpha1A/Beta2A-microtubule decorated with kinesin EMDB-35791: GMPCPP-Alpha1C/Beta2A-microtubule decorated with kinesin |
Chemicals | ChemComp-GTP: ChemComp-G2P: ChemComp-ATP: |
Source |
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Keywords | STRUCTURAL PROTEIN / microtubule / tubulin isotype / cryo-EM structure |