title: Control of microtubule organization and dynamics: two ends in the limelight.
abstract: Microtubules have fundamental roles in many essential biological processes, including cell division and intracellular transport. They assemble and disassemble from their two ends, denoted the plus end and the minus end. Significant advances have been made in our understanding of microtubule plus-end-tracking proteins (+TIPs) such as end-binding protein 1 (EB1), XMAP215, selected kinesins and dynein. By contrast, information on microtubule minus-end-targeting proteins (-TIPs), such as the calmodulin-regulated spectrin-associated proteins (CAMSAPs) and Patronin, has only recently started to emerge. Here, we review our current knowledge of factors, including microtubule-targeting agents, that associate with microtubule ends to control the dynamics and function of microtubules during the cell cycle and development.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akhmanova
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomolecular Research, Department of Biology and Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michel O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Steinmetz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011485:Protein Binding; D021381:Protein Transport; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D014404:Tubulin; D050257:Tubulin Modulators