Open AccessSynchronous oscillations in microtubule polymerization.
Author(s) -
MarieFrance Carlier,
Ronald Melki,
Dominique Pantaloni,
Terrell L. Hill,
Y Chen
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.84.15.5257
Subject(s) - microtubule , tubulin , biophysics , microtubule nucleation , nucleation , kinetics , chemistry , chemical physics , physics , biology , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , thermodynamics , centrosome , classical mechanics , cell cycle , cell
Under conditions where microtubule nucleation and growth are fast (i.e., high magnesium ion and tubulin concentrations and absence of glycerol), microtubule assembly in vitro exhibits an oscillatory regime preceding the establishment of steady state. The amplitude of the oscillations can represent greater than 50% of the maximum turbidity change and oscillations persist for up to 20 periods of 80 s each. Oscillations are accompanied by extensive length redistribution of microtubules. Preliminary work suggests that the oscillatory kinetics can be simulated using a model in which many microtubules undergo synchronous transitions between growing and rapidly depolymerizing phases, complicated by the kinetically limiting rate of nucleotide exchange on free tubulin.