title: Microtubules: an overview.
abstract: Microtubules are found in all eukaryotes and are built from alphabeta-tubulin heterodimers. The alpha-tubulins and beta-tubulins are among the most highly conserved eukaryotic proteins. Other members of the tubulin family have come to light recently and, like gamma-tubulin, appear to play roles in microtubule nucleation and assembly. Microtubule assembly is accompanied by hydrolysis of GTP associated with beta-tubulin so that microtubules consist principally of "GDP-tubulin" stabilized by a short "GTP cap." Microtubules are polar, cylindrical structures some 25 nm in diameter. Protofilaments made from tubulin heterodimers run lengthwise along the microtubule wall with the beta-tubulin subunit at the microtubule plus end. The crystallographic structures of tubulins are essential to understand in detail microtubule architecture and interactions with stabilizing and destabilizing drugs and proteins.
authors: Institut de Biologie Structurale, Grenoble, France.
authors: Richard H
authors: RH
authors: Wade
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000077143:Docetaxel; D034261:Epothilones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008870:Microtubules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D043823:Taxoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D014404:Tubulin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D034261:Epothilones; D043823:Taxoids; D014404:Tubulin; D000077143:Docetaxel; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D017239:Paclitaxel