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Control of nucleation in microtubule self‐assembly
Author(s) -
Bayley P.M.,
Butler F.M.M.,
Manser E.J.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(86)80903-6
Subject(s) - nucleation , microtubule , microtubule nucleation , biophysics , elongation , chemistry , in vivo , gtp' , pyrophosphate , tubulin , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro , biochemistry , biology , materials science , enzyme , organic chemistry , cell cycle , cell , ultimate tensile strength , centrosome , metallurgy
The inhibition of the rate and amplitude of assembly of microtubule protein at low GTP concentration is shown by measurement of microtubule length distributions to be due to the suppression of microtubule nucleation. This inhibitory effect is enhanced by GDP added before assembly, but can be overcome by a number of molecules such as pyrophosphate or ADP. The selective inhibition of nucleation by GDP in vitro, which occurs in addition to inhibition of elongation, could provide a mechanism for the control of spontaneous microtubule nucleation in vivo.