title: Microtubule's conformational cap.
abstract: The molecular mechanisms that allow elongation of the unstable microtubule lattice remain unclear. It is usually thought that the GDP-liganded tubulin lattice is capped by a small layer of GTP- or GDP-Pi-liganded molecules, the so called "GTP-cap". Here, we point-out that the elastic properties of the microtubule lattice cause a difference in stability between the elongating tubulin sheet and the completed microtubule wall. The implications of our observations for microtubule structure and dynamics are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Protéines Complexes, Université de Tours, 2 bis Boulevard Tonnellé, F-37032 Tours, France. denis.chretien@univ-rennes1.fr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chrétien
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jáinosi
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Taveau
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flyvbjerg
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D003198:Computer Simulation; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D004548:Elasticity; D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008870:Microtubules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008954:Models, Biological; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014404:Tubulin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D014404:Tubulin; D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate; C004805:5'-guanylylmethylenebisphosphonate; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate