title: Nucleation and the kinetics of microtubule assembly.
abstract: A kinetic model was developed for the purpose of interpreting scanning calorimetric data of microtubule assembly. The model consists of two steps. The first step is a highly exothermic nucleation with a strong dependence upon temperature and concentration. The second step is the elongation of the nuclei or microtubules by the addition of tubulin dimer to growing ends. Computer fits to the data provided the values of the parameters of the model. The model successfully simulated various experiments.
mesh_terms: D002151:Calorimetry; D003201:Computers; D007700:Kinetics; D008870:Microtubules / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011485:Protein Binding; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin