The microtuble interaction site

This page leads you to internet information about microtubules (MTs) and factors that interact with them. It provides only a selection of the information available on the internet.

$/!\$ Not all links are checked! They may lead to dead sites!!! Corrections and additions are in progress.

Introduction

Structure and function of microtubules: The Cell: A Molecular Approach
Images of the microtubule cytoskeleton: The Cell: An Image Library

Key research publications

Microtubule dynamic instability: Mitchison and Kirschner, 1984
Microtubule dynamics in living cells: Sammack and Borisy, 1988
High-resolution model of the microtubule: Nogales et al., 1999
Tubulin code: Janke et al., 2005; Rogowski et al., 2009
Mechanisms of microtubule interactions: Schnitzer and Block, 1997; Tirnauer et al., 2002; Janning et al., 2014; Igaev et al., 2014

MT/tubulin-binding proteins

This is a selection of factors where information about MT/tubulin-binding sequences and/or cellular function is available. Clicking on a sequence will start a search for similar sequences (using the blast search at NCBI (ExPASy interface) in the non redundant database (nr)).

tau

tau (human): mainly in neurons, promotes MT assembly, stabilizes MTs, involved in Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases, amino-terminal projection domain interacts with plasmamembrane components (Brandt R'95), Weissmann 2009

REPKKVAVVRTP binds stronger than other domains (Goode BL'97)
VQIINKKLDLSNVQSKCGSKDNIKHVPGGGS Tau/MAP motif, binds weakly Felgner H'97, Lee G'89
VQIVYKPVDLSKVTSKCGSLGNIHHKPGGGQ Tau/MAP motif, binds weakly Felgner H'97, Lee G'89
VEVKSEKLDFKDRVQSKIGSLDNITHVPGGGN Tau/MAP motif, binds weakly Felgner H'97, Lee G'89
QTAPVPMPDLKNVKSKIGSTENLKHQPGGGK Tau/MAP motif, binds weakly Felgner H'97, Lee G'89

MAP2

MAP2 (human): stabilizes MTs (?), makes MTs stiffer (?)

MAP1B

MAP1B (human): MT nucleation (?), MT stabilization (?)
KKEDKTPIKKEEKPKKEEVKKEVKKEIKKEEKKEPKKEVKKETPPKEVKKEVKKEEKKEVKKEEKEPKKE MAP1B basic region containing the KKEE and KKEVI motifs for MT binding

Kinesin

kinesin

plus-directed motor protein, many kinesin-related proteins see also the Kinesin Home Page

Dynein

minus-directed motor protein, may bind indirectly to the inner plasma membrane TREMBL:O13676 {DEADposting}
large fragment (around 380 amino acids) needed for microtubule binding Gee M'97, Koonce MP'97

Dynamin

motor protein, vesicular traffic, endocytosis (liberation of vesicles from plasma membrane), GTPase
NTTTVSTPMPPP..PSRSGQASPSRPESPRPPFDL proline-rich domain (PRD) at the C-terminus, modestly conserved (esp. VPSRP, search PROSITE), believed to mediate interactions between dynamin and other proteins (incl. MTs, although this has not been shown in vivo) McNiven MA'98, Urrutia R'97

CBF5

(yeast): binds to centromeres and MTs (??), mitotic chromosome segregation, essential for cell growth
KKDKKEKKEKKDKKEKKEKKEKKEKKRKAD 9 x 3 AA tandem repeats of K-K-[DE]

SPC98

binds to gamma-tubulin (important for MT nucleation), concentrated at the centrosome Tassin AM'98; conserved between human and yeast (esp. GWDVF, FNFLWR; search PROSITE)

Gephyrin

membrane protein-cytoskeleton interactions, associated with inhibitory glycine receptor (anchors it to subsynaptic MTs?)

Plectin

link between MTs and intermediate filaments (?)

clip170

links endosomes to MTs Pierre P'94

STOP

calmodulin-regulated, MT stabilization Guillaud L'98

Ezrin-like proteins

may link MTs to the plasma membrane

Caldesmon

may bind actin and MTs Gavin RH'97

MAP1A

may link MTs and actin Pedrott B'94

General

In general, MT-binding domains tend to be:

rich in valine (V, 6-25%), lysine (K, 11-46%), proline (P, 3-17%), and glycine (G, 0-22%)
basic (around pI 9-11)

Misc

ftsZ tubulin-like protein in prokaryotes; PROSITE entry
atomic model of tubulin research news article from Berkeley Lab
mapmodulin: binds to free MAPs tubulin-binding domain (MAP2, MAP4, tau), regulated by phosphorylation (?) Ulitzur N'97

Search

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Changelog

September 1998 initially created by Dr. Michael Rebhan
January 2004 links corrected by Christian Rickert (AG Brandt)
January 2014 updated and transfered to mozilo CMS by Fred Sündermann (AG Brandt)