Intrinsic microtubule stability in interphase cells

Higher plant cortical microtubule array analyzed in vitro in the presence of the cell wall

Plant morphogenesis depends on an array of microtubules in the cell cortex, the cortical array. Although the cortical array is known to be essential for morphogenesis, it is not known how the array becomes organized or how it functions mechanistically. Here, we report the development of an in vitro model that provides good access to the cortical array while preserving the array's organization and, importantly, its association with the cell wall. Primary roots of maize (Zea mays) are sectioned, without fixation, in a drop of buffer and then incubated as desired before eventual fixation. Sectioning removes cytoplasm except for a residuum comprising cortical microtubules, vesicles, and fragments of plasma membrane underlying the microtubules. The majority of the cortical microtubules remain in the cut-open cells for more than 1 h, fully accessible to the incubation solution. The growth zone or more mature tissue can be sectioned, providing access to cortical arrays that are oriented either transversely or obliquely to the long axis of the root. Using this assay, we report, first, that cortical microtubule stability is regulated by protein phosphorylation; second, that cortical microtubule stability is a function of orientation, with divergent microtubules within the array depolymerizing within minutes of sectioning; and third, that the polarity of microtubules in the cortical array is not uniform. These results suggest that the organization of the cortical array involves random nucleation followed by selective stabilization of microtubules formed at the appropriate orientation, and that the signal specifying alignment must treat orientations of +/- 180 degrees as equivalent.

Direct Regulation of Microtubule Dynamics by Protein Kinase CK2

Microtubule dynamics is essential for many vital cellular processes such as morphogenesis and motility. Protein kinase CK2 is a ubiquitous protein kinase that is involved in diverse cellular functions. CK2 holoenzyme is composed of two catalytic alpha or alpha' subunits and two regulatory beta subunits. We show that the alpha subunit of CK2 binds directly to both microtubules and tubulin heterodimers. CK2 holoenzyme but neither of its individual subunits exhibited a potent effect of inducing microtubule assembly and bundling. Moreover, the polymerized microtubules were strongly stabilized by CK2 against cold-induced depolymerization. Interestingly, the kinase activity of CK2 is not required for its microtubule-assembling and stabilizing function because a kinase-inactive mutant of CK2 displayed the same microtubule-assembling activity as the wild-type protein. Knockdown of CK2alpha/alpha' in cultured cells by RNA interference dramatically destabilized their microtubule networks, and the destabilized microtubules were readily destructed by colchicine at a very low concentration. Further, over-expression of chicken CK2alpha or its kinaseinactive mutant in the endogenous CK2alpha/alpha'-depleted cells fully restored the microtubule resistance to the low dose of colchicine. Taken together, CK2 is a microtubule-associated protein that confers microtubule stability in a phosphorylation-independent manner.

STOP proteins

Microtubules assembled from purified tubulin in vitro are labile, rapidly disassembling when exposed to a variety of depolymerizing conditions such as cold temperature. In contrast, in many cell types, microtubules seem to be unaffected when the cell is exposed to the cold. This resistance of microtubules to the cold has been intriguing because the earliest and by far most studied microtubule-associated proteins such as MAP2 and tau are devoid of microtubule cold stabilizing activity. Over the past several years, it has been shown that resistance of microtubules to the cold is largely due to polymer association with a class of microtubule-associated proteins called STOPs. STOPs are calmodulin-binding and calmodulin-regulated proteins which, in mammals, are encoded by a single gene but exhibit substantial cell specific variability due to mRNA splicing and alternative promoter use. STOP microtubule stabilizing activity has been ascribed to two classes of new bifunctional calmodulin- and microtubule-binding motifs, with distinct microtubule binding properties in vivo. STOPs seem to be restricted to vertebrates and are composed of a conserved domain split by the apparent insertion of variable sequences that are completely unrelated among species. Recently, STOP suppression in mice has been found to induce synaptic defects associated with neuroleptic-sensitive behavioral disorders. Thus, STOPs are important for synaptic plasticity. Additionally, STOP-deficient mice may yield a pertinent model for the study of neuroleptics in illnesses such as schizophrenia, currently thought to result from defects in synapse function.

Overlap of promoter and coding sequences in the mouse STOP gene (Mtap6)

The microtubule-associated proteins STOP are essential for synaptic plasticity and integrated brain function. The STOP gene (Mtap6) is composed of 4 exons and presents different developmental and tissue specific alternative transcripts resulting in the neuronal isoforms E- and N-STOP, and in the fibroblastic F-STOP isoform. We now characterize the transcription initiation sites for neuronal and non neuronal STOP transcripts. Our results show that there is a single neuronal specific promoter for transcription of E- and N-STOP mRNAs. F-STOP mRNA transcription is regulated by a distinct promoter. A remarkable feature of this promoter is that it lies within coding sequences expressed in neuronal E- and N-STOP isoforms.

The suppression of brain cold-stable microtubules in mice induces synaptic defects associated with neuroleptic-sensitive behavioral disorders

Neurons contain abundant subsets of highly stable microtubules that resist depolymerizing conditions such as exposure to the cold. Stable microtubules are thought to be essential for neuronal development, maintenance, and function. Previous work has indicated an important role of the microtubule-associated protein STOP in the induction of microtubule cold stability. Here, we developed STOP null mice. These mice were devoid of cold-stable microtubules. In contrast to our expectations, STOP-/- mice had no detectable defects in brain anatomy but showed synaptic defects, with depleted synaptic vesicle pools and impaired synaptic plasticity, associated with severe behavioral disorders. A survey of the effects of psychotropic drugs on STOP-/- mice behavior showed a remarkable and specific effect of long-term administration of neuroleptics in alleviating these disorders. This study demonstrates that STOP is a major factor responsible for the intriguing stability properties of neuronal microtubules and is important for synaptic plasticity. Additionally, STOP-/- mice may yield a pertinent model for study of neuroleptics in illnesses such as schizophrenia, currently thought to result from synaptic defects.

The tumor vascular targeting agent combretastatin A-4-phosphate induces reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and early membrane blebbing in human endothelial cells

Combretastatin A-4-phosphate (CA-4-P) is a tubulin-binding compound currently in clinical trial as a tumor vascular-targeting agent. In endothelial cells, CA-4-P is known to cause microtubule depolymerization, but little is known about its subsequent effects on cell morphology and function. Here, we demonstrate that within minutes of endothelial cell exposure to CA-4-P, myosin light chain (MLC) was phosphorylated, leading to actinomyosin contractility, assembly of actin stress fibers, and formation of focal adhesions. These cytoskeletal alterations appeared to be a consequence of Rho activation, as they were abolished by either the Rho inhibitor C3 exoenzyme or Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632. In response to CA-4-P, some cells rapidly assumed a blebbing morphology in which F-actin accumulated around surface blebs, stress fibers misassembled into a spherical network surrounding the cytoplasm, and focal adhesions appeared malformed. Blebbing was associated with decreased cell viability and could be inhibited by Rho/Rho-kinase inhibitors or by blocking the CA-4-P-mediated activation of stress-activated protein kinase-2/p38. The extracellular-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK-1/2) were shown to protect against blebbing since blebbing was attenuated on ERK-1/2 stimulation and was up-regulated by specific inhibition of ERK-1/2 activation. The use of MLC kinase (MLCK) and myosin adenosine triphosphatase inhibitors led us to propose a role for MLCK and myosin activity independent of MLC phosphorylation in regulating the blebbing process. CA-4-P-mediated contractility and blebbing were associated with a Rho-dependent increase in monolayer permeability to dextrans, suggesting that such functional changes may be important in the rapid response of the tumor endothelium to CA-4-P in vivo.

Identification of novel bifunctional calmodulin-binding and microtubule-stabilizing motifs in STOP proteins

Although microtubules are intrinsically labile tubulin assemblies, many cell types contain stable polymers, resisting depolymerizing conditions such as exposure to the cold or the drug nocodazole. This microtubule stabilization is largely due to polymer association with STOP proteins. There are several STOP variants, some with capacity to induce microtubule resistance to both the cold and nocodazole, others with microtubule cold stabilizing activity only. These microtubule-stabilizing effects of STOP proteins are inhibited by calmodulin and we now demonstrate that they are determined by two distinct kinds of repeated modular sequences (Mn and Mc), both containing a calmodulin-binding peptide, but displaying different microtubule stabilizing activities. Mn modules induce microtubule resistance to both the cold and nocodazole when expressed in cells. Mc modules, which correspond to the STOP central repeats, have microtubule cold stabilizing activity only. Mouse neuronal STOPs, which induce both cold and drug resistance in cellular microtubules, contain three Mn modules and four Mc modules. Compared with neuronal STOPs, the non-neuronal F-STOP lacks multiple Mn modules and this corresponds with an inability to induce nocodazole resistance. STOP modules represent novel bifunctional calmodulin-binding and microtubule-stabilizing sequences that may be essential for the generation of the different patterns of microtubule stabilization observed in cells.

Kinase and phosphatase inhibitors cause rapid alterations in microtubule dynamic instability in living cells

To examine whether microtubule dynamic instability can be rapidly regulated during interphase, we used video-enhanced differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy to observe individual microtubules at the periphery of living newt lung epithelial cells. Microtubules were observed before and after perfusion with either the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid or the kinase inhibitors staurosporine or olomoucine. Addition of these inhibitors caused rapid changes in dynamic instability. Thirty to sixty seconds after perfusion with 0.2-1 microM okadaic acid, a 1.5-fold increase in elongation velocity and small increases in catastrophe and rescue frequencies were observed. In contrast, treatment with 40-200 nM staurosporine decreased microtubule elongation and shortening velocities approximately 2-fold, and catastrophes were slightly more frequent. Olomoucine, at 100 microM, had similar effects. Transition dynamics were further examined by probabilistic analysis, which showed that microtubules become more likely to undergo catastrophe as they elongated and more likely to undergo rescue as they shortened, an effect previously called microtubule "memory." This memory effect for catastrophes was observed in untreated and okadaic acid-treated cells but was abolished by staurosporine or olomoucine. In contrast, the memory effect for rescue was unaffected by these treatments, suggesting that catastrophe and rescue proceed via distinct, multistep mechanisms. Overall, these results demonstrate that microtubule assembly regulators can be altered rapidly by inhibition of either kinases or phosphatases and suggest that, in the absence of inhibitors, these regulators exist in a dynamic equilibrium between phosphorylated and dephosphorylated states.

Glutamylation of centriole and cytoplasmic tubulin in proliferating non-neuronal cells

We have examined the distribution of glutamylated tubulin in non-neuronal cell lines. A major part of centriole tubulin is highly modified on both the alpha- and beta-tubulin subunits, whereas a minor part of the cytoplasmic tubulin is slightly modified, on the beta-tubulin only. Furthermore, we observed that tubulin glutamylation varies during the cell cycle: an increase occurs during mitosis on both centriole and spindle microtubules. In the spindle, this increase appears more obvious on the pole-to-pole and kinetochore microtubules than on the astral microtubules. The cellular pattern and the temporal variation of this post-translational modification contrast with other previously described tubulin modifications. The functional significance of this distribution is discussed.

Distribution and characteristics of betaII tubulin-enriched microtubules in interphase cells

We have used a polyclonal antibody (Ab196) that specifically recognizes the betaII tubulin isotype to examine the subcellular distribution and properties of microtubules enriched in this isotype. Antibody specificity was tested by a method that involves the analysis of its interaction with individual beta isotypes. Using photoimaging analysis, we observed betaII tubulin-enriched microtubules in the perinuclear region, as well as in the microtubules close to the periphery of interphase cells. The observed sorting of betaII-enriched microtubules together with the reported increased levels of betaII tubulin in taxol-resistant cells (M. Haber et al., 1995, J. Biol. Chem. 270, 31269-31275) prompted us to study the behavior of microtubules enriched in this isotype after different depolymerizing treatments. After cold or nocodazol treatments, betaII-enriched microtubules anchored at the centrosome and at the cell periphery were observed. In addition, cold-resistant microtubules were marked mainly by the specific anti-betaII tubulin antibody but not by anti-acetylated alpha tubulin, suggesting the presence of different stable microtubule subsets enriched in particular tubulin isoforms.

Cloning, sequencing, and nucleolar targeting of the basal-body-binding nucleolar protein BN46/51

BN46/51 is an acidic protein found in the granular component of the nucleolus of the amebo-flagellate Naegleria gruberi. When Naegleria amebae differentiate into swimming flagellates, BN46/51 is found associated with the basal body complex at the base of the flagella. In order to determine the factors responsible for targeting BN46/51 to a specific subnucleolar region, cDNAs coding for both subunits were isolated and sequenced. Two clones, JG4.1 and JG12.1 representing the 46 kDa and 51 kDa subunits, respectively, were investigated in detail. JG12.1 encoded a polypeptide of 263 amino acids with a predicted size of 30.1 kDa that co-migrated with the 51 kDa subunit of BN46/51 when expressed in yeast. JG4.1 encoded a polypeptide of 249 amino acids with a predicted size of 28.8 kDa that co-migrated with the 46 kDa subunit of BN46/51. JG4.1 was identical to JG12.1 except for the addition of an aspartic acid between positions 94 and 95 of the JG12.1 sequence and the absence of 45 amino acids beginning at position 113. The predicted amino acid sequences were not closely related to any previously reported. However, the sequences did have 26–31% identity to a group of FKPBs (FK506 binding proteins) but lacked the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase domain of the FKBPs. Both subunits contained two KKE and three KKX repeats found in other nucleolar proteins and in some microtubule binding proteins. Using ‘Far Western’ blots of nucleolar proteins, BN46/51 bound to polypeptides of 44 kDa and 74 kDa. The 44 kDa component was identified as the Naegleria homologue of fibrillarin. BN46/51 bound specifically to the nucleoli of fixed mammalian cells, cells which lack a BN46/51 related polypeptide. When the JG4.1 and JG12.1 cDNAs were expressed in yeast, each subunit was independently targeted to the yeast nucleolus. We conclude that BN46/51 represents a unique nucleolar protein that can form specific complexes with fibrillarin and other nucleolar proteins. We suggest that the association of BN46/51 with the MTOC of basal bodies may reflect its role in connecting the nucleolus with the MTOC activity for the mitotic spindle. This would provide a mechanism for nucleolar segregation during the closed mitosis of Naegleria amebae.

STOP Proteins

Microtubules assembled from pure tubulin in vitro are labile, rapidly depolymerized upon exposure to the cold. In contrast, in a number of cell types, cytoplasmic microtubules are stable, resistant to prolonged cold exposure. During the past years, the molecular basis of this microtubule stabilization in cells has been elucidated. Cold stability is due to polymer association with different variants of a calmodulin-regulated protein, STOP protein. The dynamic and hence the physiological consequences of STOP association with microtubules vary in different tissues. In neurons, STOP seems almost permanently associated with microtubules. STOP is apparently a major determinant of microtubule turnover in such cells and is required for normal neuronal differentiation. In cycling cells, only minor amounts of STOP are associated with interphase microtubules and STOP does not measurably affects microtubule dynamics. However, STOP is associated with mitotic microtubules in the spindle. Recent results indicate that such an association could be vital for meiosis and for the long-term fidelity of the mitotic process.

Stepwise reconstitution of interphase microtubule dynamics in permeabilized cells and comparison to dynamic mechanisms in intact cells

Microtubules in permeabilized cells are devoid of dynamic activity and are insensitive to depolymerizing drugs such as nocodazole. Using this model system we have established conditions for stepwise reconstitution of microtubule dynamics in permeabilized interphase cells when supplemented with various cell extracts. When permeabilized cells are supplemented with mammalian cell extracts in the presence of protein phosphatase inhibitors, microtubules become sensitive to nocodazole. Depolymerization induced by nocodazole proceeds from microtubule plus ends, whereas microtubule minus ends remain inactive. Such nocodazole-sensitive microtubules do not exhibit subunit turnover. By contrast, when permeabilized cells are supplemented with Xenopus egg extracts, microtubules actively turn over. This involves continuous creation of free microtubule minus ends through microtubule fragmentation. Newly created minus ends apparently serve as sites of microtubule depolymerization, while net microtubule polymerization occurs at microtubule plus ends. We provide evidence that similar microtubule fragmentation and minus end-directed disassembly occur at the whole-cell level in intact cells. These data suggest that microtubule dynamics resembling dynamics observed in vivo can be reconstituted in permeabilized cells. This model system should provide means for in vitro assays to identify molecules important in regulating microtubule dynamics. Furthermore, our data support recent work suggesting that microtubule treadmilling is an important mechanism of microtubule turnover.

Hibernation induces expression of moesin in intestinal epithelial cells

Identification of proteins that are differentially expressed in mammals that hibernate can provide insight into mechanisms that preserve cellular function at low temperatures. A candidate protein was identified in intestinal brush border membranes of 13-lined ground squirrels. Intestinal brush border membrane proteins were separated using SDS-PAGE and gels were stained with Coomassie blue. We observed a approximately 75-kDa band that was specifically increased in brush border membranes isolated from torpid squirrels compared with summer active squirrels. The 75-kDa band was cut from one-dimensional gels and sequenced. A 17 amino acid sequence was identified of which amino acids 2-17 matched exactly a portion of moesin, a membrane-cytoskeletal linking protein and member of the ERM (ezrin/radixin/moesin) family. The sequence results were confirmed using anti-moesin antibodies that detected strong bands at approximately 75 kDa on Western blots of brush border membranes in torpid squirrels (Tb approximately 7 degreesC) and only faint signals in summer squirrels (Tb approximately 37 degrees C) or aroused hibernators (Tb approximately 37 degrees C). In contrast, signals obtained using anti-ezrin antibodies were uniformly strong in all squirrels, regardless of activity state. Intestinal brush borders of mice and rats expressed ezrin but not moesin. These results provide evidence for the physiological induction of an ERM protein in intestinal epithelial cells of torpid hibernators and support the idea that hibernation involves differential expression of gene products that may facilitate viability of cells at low temperatures.

KT5720 and U-98017 inhibit MAPK and alter the cytoskeleton and cell morphology

We previously identified KT5720 and U-98017 as agents that had paclitaxel (taxol)-like activity in a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) paclitaxel-dependent cell screen for paclitaxel mimetics. In vitro polymerization of purified brain tubulin is not affected substantially by these compounds, suggesting that, unlike paclitaxel, these agents do not directly affect tubulin. However, these compounds cause profound rearrangements of the cytoskeleton in intact cells, including an apparent alteration of microtubule length, overlapping of cells, and an increase in cell size. We show that KT5720 and U-98017 effectively inhibit mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity in vitro. Staurosporine, a poor inhibitor of MAPK but a potent inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) activity, phospholipid/Ca++-dependent kinase (PKC), and cdc2, does not cause similar changes. In addition, paclitaxel-dependent cells grown in U-98017 have substantially decreased levels of stimulated MAPK. In correlation with these results, we have confirmed the presence of MAPK in isolated tubulin and microtubules in cells. We have examined the hypothesis that these compounds are working through inhibition of MAPK to alter microtubules by inhibiting the phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins. A MAPKK dominant negative mutation transfected in CHO cells inhibits activation of MAPK. Transfectants carrying this dominant mutant have impaired activation of MAPK and an altered cell morphology, similar in some respects to that seen with KT5720 and U-98017. These results support a role for MAPK family members in the control of microtubule dynamics and suggest that in intact cells U-98017 and KT5720 achieve their effects of altering cytoskeleton and supporting partial growth of paclitaxel-dependent cells through inhibition of kinases such as MAPK.

STOP proteins are responsible for the high degree of microtubule stabilization observed in neuronal cells

Neuronal differentiation and function require extensive stabilization of the microtubule cytoskeleton. Neurons contain a large proportion of microtubules that resist the cold and depolymerizing drugs and exhibit slow subunit turnover. The origin of this stabilization is unclear. Here we have examined the role of STOP, a calmodulin-regulated protein previously isolated from cold-stable brain microtubules. We find that neuronal cells express increasing levels of STOP and of STOP variants during differentiation. These STOP proteins are associated with a large proportion of microtubules in neuronal cells, and are concentrated on cold-stable, drug-resistant, and long-lived polymers. STOP inhibition abolishes microtubule cold and drug stability in established neurites and impairs neurite formation. Thus, STOP proteins are responsible for microtubule stabilization in neurons, and are apparently required for normal neurite formation.

Mitotic phosphorylation of tau protein in neuronal cell lines resembles phosphorylation in Alzheimer's disease

Tau protein, a neuronal microtubule-associated protein is phosphorylated on several sites when extracted from brain tissue and is a substrate for many protein kinases in vitro. In Alzheimer's disease it becomes hyperphosphorylated, notably at Ser-Pro or Thr-Pro motifs, and forms the paired helical filaments (PHFs). The increased phosphorylation can be detected by several antibodies raised against Alzheimer tau. We show here that a similar type of phosphorylation can be observed in cells of neuronal origin during mitosis. Murine neuroblastoma cells (N2a) were stably transfected with htau40, the largest of the six human tau isoforms in the brain. We used several antibodies reporting on the state of phosphorylation of tau (Tau-1, AT8, AT180, PHF-1, and T46) and the antibody MPM-2 that recognizes phosphorylated mitotic proteins. The results show that tau is in a state of low phosphorylation in interphase cells, whereas during mitosis it becomes highly phosphorylated. This behavior was also found for endogenous tau protein in human neuroblastoma cells (LAN-5). The similarity between tau phosphorylation in dividing neuronal cells and Alzheimer degenerating neurons may indicate that aging neurons exposed to inappropriate signals respond by an attempt to activate their machinery for regeneration.

Nonneuronal isoforms of STOP protein are responsible for microtubule cold stability in mammalian fibroblasts

A number of cycling mammalian cells, such as NIH 3T3, contain abundant subsets of cold-stable microtubules. The origin of such microtubule stabilization in nonneuronal cells is unknown. We have previously described a neuronal protein, stable tubule-only polypeptide (STOP), that binds to microtubules and induces cold stability. We find that NIH 3T3 fibroblasts contain a major 42-kDa isoform of STOP (fibroblastic STOP, F-STOP). F-STOP contains the central repeats characteristic of brain STOP but shows extensive deletions of N- and C-terminal protein domains that are present in brain STOP. These deletions arise from differences in STOP RNA splicing. Despite such deletions, F-STOP has full microtubule stabilizing activity. F-STOP accumulates on cold-stable microtubules of interphase arrays and is present on stable microtubules within the mitotic spindle of NIH 3T3 cells. STOP inhibition by microinjection of affinity-purified STOP central repeat antibodies into NIH 3T3 cells abolishes both interphase and spindle microtubule cold stability. Similar results were obtained with Rat2 cells. These results show that STOP proteins have nonneuronal isoforms that are responsible for the microtubule cold stability observed in mammalian fibroblasts.

Partitioning of cytoplasmic organelles during mitosis with special reference to the Golgi complex

During mitosis, not only the genetic material stored in the nucleus but also the constituents of the cytoplasm should be equally partitioned between the daughter cells. For this sake, the dividing cell goes through an extensive structural reorganization and transport along the endocytic and exocytic pathways is temporarily arrested. Early in prophase, the radiating array of cytoplasmic microtubules disassembles and the membrane systems of the secretory apparatus start to split up. In metaphase, the nuclear envelope fragments and the condensing chromosomes associate with the forming mitotic spindle. The cisternal and tubular elements of the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complex break down into small vesicles, presumably as the result of an imbalance between vesicle budding and fusion. In anaphase, the two sets of chromosomes are pulled apart and a cleavage furrow forms halfway between the spindle poles. Since most organelles occur in multiple and widely dispersed copies at this stage, they will be evenly distributed between the daughter cells. During telophase and cytokinesis, the preceding fragmentation process is reversed. A nuclear envelope reappears around the chromosomes and cytoplasmic microtubules reassemble. The endoplasmic reticulum is rebuilt as a continuous system of flattened cisternae and tubules. Stacks of Golgi cisternae arise from small vesicles and are rearranged in an interconnected network. In parallel, the biosynthetic functions of the cell are normalized and intracellular membrane traffic is resumed.

Suppression of tubulin tyrosine ligase during tumor growth

The C terminus of the tubulin alpha-subunit of most eukaryotic cells undergoes a cycle of tyrosination and detyrosination using two specific enzymes, a tubulin tyrosine ligase (TTL) and a tubulin carboxypeptidase. Although this enzyme cycle is conserved in evolution and exhibits rapid turnover, the meaning of this modification has remained elusive. We have isolated several NIH-3T3 derived clonal cell lines that lack TTL (TTL-). TTL- cells contain a unique tubulin isotype (delta2-tubulin) that can be detected with specific antibodies. When injected into nude mice, both TTL- cells and TTL- cells stably transfected with TTL cDNA form sarcomas. But in tumors formed from TTL rescued cells, TTL is systematically lost during tumor growth. A strong selection process has thus acted during tumor growth to suppress TTL activity. In accord with this result, we find suppression of TTL activity in the majority of human tumors assayed with delta2-tubulin antibody. We conclude there is a widespread loss of TTL activity during tumor growth in situ, suggesting that TTL activity may play a role in tumor cell regulation.

Direct visualization and characterization of stable microtubules from the neurites of cultured dorsal root ganglion cells

We tested the stability of microtubules (MTs) in the neurites of cultured dorsal root ganglion cells by dissolving the cytoplasmic membrane with detergent and exposing them to defined extracellular medium under observation with a video-enhanced differential interference contrast (DIC) microscope. Smooth cytoplasmic filaments visualized after membrane removal were suggested to be MTs by the preservation of all of the filaments in the presence but not in the absence of taxol. They were further confirmed to be MTs by specific immunostaining with anti-tubulin antibody. A significant number of MTs in the established neurites of 6-day-old cultures remained longer than 10 min after membrane removal while MTs in the Schwann cell processes or in the distal regions of the growth cone-bearing neurites of 3-day-old cultures disappeared within 2 min. A population of very stable MTs persisting longer than 30 min was also found specifically in the 6-day-old cultures. Association with other structures or bundling seemed to stabilize the MTs to some degree. The most stable MTs, however, were not associated with some structure along the length but were mainly anchored at points, suggesting that specific point attachments may be another important mechanism operating in MT stabilization. The present method is thus capable of directly demonstrating the unusual stability of neuritic MTs, and provides a new system for further investigation on the mechanism of stabilization.

Demonstration and analysis of tubulin binding sites on centrosomes

Microtubule nucleation on centrosomes is vital to the establishment of organized microtubule arrays in cells. Despite recent advances, little is known about the sequence of molecular events which leads to microtubule assembly on centrosomes. A putative early step in the nucleation process is interaction of free tubulin dimers with centrosomes. Here, we asked if centrosomes indeed interact in a specific manner with free tubulin dimers. Using lysed cells, we show that centrosomes have a specific capacity to accumulate free tubulin molecules as compared to most other cytoplasmic cell structures. When interphasic lysed cells are incubated with rhodamine-conjugated tubulin, centrosomes emerge as conspicuous sites of tubulin accumulation while other insoluble cytoplasmic cell structures are not stained. In mitotic cells, lysed at various stages of mitosis, fluorescent tubulin stains centrosomes and other mitotic structures, such as the mitotic spindle, the midzone of the cleavage furrow, and the center part of the midbody. Fluorescent tubulin staining of centrosomes in lysed cells is not affected by addition of high concentrations of serum albumin to fluorescent tubulin solutions prior to incubation. In contrast, addition of micromolar concentrations of unlabeled tubulin, to fluorescent tubulin solutions, strongly reduces centrosomal staining. The tubulin binding capacity of centrosomes is conserved following centrosome isolation. Using quantitative methods for analysis of fluorescent tubulin binding on centrosomes, we find that centrosomes contain about 25 000 saturable tubulin binding sites. The apparent dissociation constant of tubulin-centrosome complexes is circa 5 microM. The kinetics of tubulin association with centrosomes are slow, with a half-saturation time of about 3 min and a very slow dissociation rate. Tubulin binding to centrosomes is inhibited at low temperatures, at pH above neutrality, and at NaCl concentrations above 100 mM. Our results suggest that accumulation of tubulin dimers is one intrinsic function of centrosomes. We propose that such a function is not accounted for by the presence of gamma-tubulin on centrosomes and may be an important factor in the regulation of centrosome-dependent microtubule nucleation.

Microinjection of anti-alpha-tubulin antibody (DM1A) inhibits progesterone-induced meiotic maturation and deranges the microtubule array in follicle-enclosed oocytes of the frog, Rana pipiens

Microinjection of anti-alpha-tubulin (Dm1A) inhibited progesterone-induced meiotic maturation in large follicle-enclosed oocytes of the frog, Rana pipiens. DM1A (46 nl; 10 mg/ml) injection significantly increased the ED50 value for progesterone as determined by germinal vesicle dissolution (GVD) bioassay. By contrast, low doses of microinjected DM1A (46 nl; 2.5 mg/ml), anti-actin (clone KJ43A), anti-cytokeratin (C-11), anti-intermediate filament antibody (IFA), generic IgG (46 nl; 20 mg/ml) or sodium azide (46 nl; 1 mg/ml), an antibody preservative, were without inhibitory effect in this bioassay. Microinjected, affinity-purified DM1A (46 nl; 7.5 mg/ml) was also inhibitory, but preabsorption with pure tubulin prior to injection significantly reduced the inhibitory effect. DM1A injection had no effect on centrifugation-induced germinal vesicle migration (GVM). Previous work indicated that drugs (e.g. demecolcine and nocodazole), which destabilise microtubules, enhance both centrifugation-induced GVM and progesterone-induced GVD in Rana oocytes. Taking these results together, it is suggested that DM1A injection may have differential effects on microtubules in this cell. Thus, while the majority of microtubules were apparently depolymerised by DM1A (46 nl; 10 mg/ml) injection, a small subpopulation appeared to be stabilised as bundles. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy of follicle-enclosed oocytes after DM1A injection revealed a major loss of microtubules throughout the cell; however, apparent sparse bundles of microtubules arranged in an approximately 600 microns shell were associated with the injectate region 24 h post-injection. By contrast, control follicle-enclosed oocytes topically labelled with DM1A post-fixation had extensive microtubule arrays similar to those previously reported in Xenopus oocytes. Intracellular recording after DM1A injection and progesterone treatment yielded an intermediate membrane potential (Vm = -31.8 mV) compared with control (immature) DM1A-injected cells (Vm = -44.7 mV) or potassium balanced salt solution (KBS)-injected cells matured with progesterone (Vm = -13.9 mV). These results suggest that DM1A injection does not completely inhibit electrophysiological changes initiated by progesterone. Working hypotheses are proposed that suggest a role for microtubules in the action of progesterone which normally lifts the prophase I block in the Rana follicle-enclosed oocyte.

Rab11 regulates recycling through the pericentriolar recycling endosome

Small GTPases of the rab family are crucial elements of the machinery that controls membrane traffic. In the present study, we examined the distribution and function of rab11. Rab11 was shown by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and EM to colocalize with internalized transferrin in the pericentriolar recycling compartment of CHO and BHK cells. Expression of rab11 mutants that are preferentially in the GTP- or GDP-bound state caused opposite effects on the distribution of transferrin-containing elements; rab11-GTP expression caused accumulation of labeled elements in the perinuclear area of the cell, whereas rab11-GDP caused a dispersion of the transferrin labeling. Functional studies showed that the early steps of uptake and recycling for transferrin were not affected by overexpression of rab11 proteins. However, recycling from the later recycling endosome was inhibited in cells overexpressing the rab11-GDP mutant. Rab5, which regulates early endocytic trafficking, acted before rab11 in the transferrin-recycling pathway as expression of rab5-GTP prevented transport to the rab11-positive recycling endosome. These results suggest a novel role for rab11 in controlling traffic through the recycling endosome.

Effect of transient overexpression of Gq alpha on soluble and polymerized tubulin pools in GH3 and AtT-20 cells

In order to study Gq-tubulin interaction in the cytosol, GH3 and AtT-20 cells (stably expressing TRH receptor) were transiently transfected with Gq alpha cDNA. Forty-eight hours after transfection, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-stimulated prolactin (PRL) secretion by Gq alpha-transfected GH3 cells increased by 90% compared to mock-transfected cells. In addition, using immunocytochemistry it was observed that Gq alpha-specific staining was much more prominent in Gq alpha-transfected GH3 and AtT-20 cells (also transfected with Gq alpha) compared to mock-transfected cells. Thus, transfection resulted in successful overexpression of functional Gq alpha. Forty-eight hours after transfection, cells were processed to obtain soluble and polymerized tubulin fractions. Tubulin levels were determined in these fractions by immunoblotting using polyclonal anti-tubulin antibodies. Compared to mock-transfected cells soluble tubulin levels decreased in Gq alpha-transfected GH3 and AtT-20 cells, by 33 and 52%, respectively. Moreover, compared to mock-transfected cells a 50% reduction in the ratio (an index of the flux between tubulin pools) of soluble and polymerized tubulin levels was observed in Gq alpha-transfected GH3 and AtT-20 cells. To determine whether these effects on tubulin were mediated by Gq directly, we examined the influence of purified Gq on tubulin polymerization. Gq (0.5 microM) inhibited polymerization of crude tubulin (present in GH3 cell cytosol) by 53%. In contrast to its effects on GH3 cell cytosol tubulin, Gq stimulated purified tubulin polymerization by 160%. These results suggest that Gq modulates the polymerization and depolymerization cycles of tubulin and that this modulation is in turn influenced by other unknown cellular components.

Phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins MAP2 and MAP4 by the protein kinase p110mark. Phosphorylation sites and regulation of microtubule dynamics

The phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) is thought to be a key factor in the regulation of microtubule stability. We have shown recently that a novel protein kinase, termed p110 microtubule-affinity regulating kinase ("MARK"), phosphorylates microtubule-associated protein tau at the KXGS motifs in the region of internal repeats and causes the detachment of tau from microtubules (Drewes, G., Trinczek, B., Illenberger, S., Biernat, J., Schmitt-Ulms, G., Meyer, H.E., Mandelkow, E.-M., and Mandelkow, E. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 7679-7688). Here we show that p110mark phosphorylates analogous KXGS sites in the microtubule binding domains of the neuronal MAP2 and the ubiquitous MAP4. Phosphorylation in vitro leads to the dissociation of MAP2 and MAP4 from microtubules and to a pronounced increase in dynamic instability. Thus, the phosphorylation of the repeated motifs in the microtubule binding domains of MAPs by p110mark might provide a mechanism for the regulation of microtubule dynamics in cells.

Cloning, expression, and properties of the microtubule-stabilizing protein STOP

Nerve cells contain abundant subpopulations of cold-stable microtubules. We have previously isolated a calmodulin-regulated brain protein, STOP (stable tubule-only polypeptide), which reconstitutes microtubule cold stability when added to cold-labile microtubules in vitro. We have now cloned cDNA encoding STOP. We find that STOP is a 100.5-kDa protein with no homology to known proteins. The primary structure of STOP includes two distinct domains of repeated motifs. The central region of STOP contains 5 tandem repeats of 46 amino acids, 4 with 98% homology to the consensus sequence. The STOP C terminus contains 28 imperfect repeats of an 11-amino acid motif. STOP also contains a putative SH3-binding motif close to its N terminus. In vitro translated STOP binds to both microtubules and Ca2+-calmodulin. When STOP cDNA is expressed in cells that lack cold-stable microtubules, STOP associates with microtubules at 37 degrees C, and stabilizes microtubule networks, inducing cold stability, nocodazole resistance, and tubulin detyrosination on microtubules in transfected cells. We conclude that STOP must play an important role in the generation of microtubule cold stability and in the control of microtubule dynamics in brain.

Hysteretic behavior and differential apparent stability properties of microtubule species emerge from the regulation of post-translational modifications of microtubules

At the epigenetic level, microtubule diversity is generated by several mechanisms of reversible post-translational modifications of tubulin subunits. In most cases, modification enzymes preferentially act on the tubulin subunits of microtubules, whereas the substrate of the enzymes which ensure the reverse reaction is preferentially the alpha beta-dimer of nonpolymerized tubulin. Most modifications identified to date appear to be nearly ubiquitous within the animal kingdom. Moreover, modifications are generally not mutually exclusive, so that cellular microtubules often bear several distinct biochemical alterations whose biological role is yet unknown. Post-translational modifications often (but not always) occur on microtubule species with low turnover rate. However, in vitro comparison of the polymerization and depolymerization rates of modified or unmodified forms of tubulin did not reveal any significant difference between molecular species. Thus, post-translational modifications are thought to be the result rather than the cause of microtubule stability. We re-examine this contention in the light of a regulated kinetic scheme for multiple and non-exclusive enzymatic modifications of microtubules. This study shows that different apparent stability properties of microtubule species emerge under such a kinetic regulation, although all the species were assumed to have identical intrinsic stability properties. This model can be used to reinterpret the results of well-known studies bearing on the relationship between microtubule stability and post-translational modifications. Another important finding is that the existence of a regulation loop in one of the multiple pathways of enzymatic differentiation of microtubules endows the system with hysteretic properties. These properties may be viewed, under restrictive conditions, as a buffering mechanism for the transitions between microtubule growing and shrinking phases during fluctuations in the regulation of centrosomal nucleating activity.

Removal of MAP4 from microtubules in vivo produces no observable phenotype at the cellular level

Microtubule-associated protein 4 (MAP4) promotes MT assembly in vitro and is localized along MTs in vivo. These results and the fact that MAP4 is the major MAP in nonneuronal cells suggest that MAP4's normal functions may include the stabilization of MTs in situ. To understand MAP4 function in vivo, we produced a blocking antibody (Ab) to prevent MAP4 binding to MTs. The COOH-terminal MT binding domain of MAP4 was expressed in Escherichia coli as a glutathione transferase fusion protein and was injected into rabbits to produce an antiserum that was then affinity purified and shown to be monospecific for MAP4. This Ab blocked > 95% of MAP4 binding to MTs in an in vitro assay. Microinjection of the affinity purified Ab into human fibroblasts and monkey epithelial cells abolished MAP4 binding to MTs as assayed with a rat polyclonal antibody against the NH2-terminal projection domain of MAP4. The removal of MAP4 from MTs was accompanied by its sequestration into visible MAP4-Ab immunocomplexes. However, the MT network appeared normal. Tubulin photoactivation and nocodazole sensitivity assays indicated that MT dynamics were not altered detectably by the removal of MAP4 from the MTs. Cells progressed to mitosis with morphologically normal spindles in the absence of MAP4 binding to MTs. Depleting MAP4 from MTs also did not affect the state of posttranslational modifications of tubulin subunits. Further, no perturbations of MT-dependent organelle distribution were detected. We conclude that the association of MAP4 with MTs is not essential for MT assembly or for the MT-based functions in cultured cells that we could assay. A significant role for MAP4 is not excluded by these results, however, as MAP4 may be a component of a functionally redundant system.

Microtubule dynamic turnover is suppressed during polarization and stimulated in hepatocyte growth factor scattered Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells

The dynamic behavior of microtubules has been measured in non-polarized, polarized, and hepatocyte growth factor treated Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells. In a nocodazole disassembly assay, microtubules in polarized cells were more resistant to depolymerization than microtubules in non-polarized cells; microtubules in scattered cells were nearly completely disassembled. Analysis of fluorescent microtubules in living cells further revealed that individual microtubules in polarized cells were kinetically stabilized and microtubules in scattered cells were highly dynamic. Individual microtubule behavior in polarized cells was characterized by a suppression of the average rate of shortening, an increase in the average duration of pause, a decrease in the frequency of catastrophe transitions, and an increase in the frequency of rescue transitions, when compared with microtubules in non-polarized cells. In contrast, microtubule behavior in epithelial cells treated with hepatocyte growth factor was characterized by increase in the average rates of microtubule growth and shortening, a decrease in the frequency of rescue transitions, and an increase in the frequency of catastrophe transitions, when compared with polarized cells. Dynamicity, a measure of the gain and loss of subunits from microtubule plus ends, was 2.7 microns/min in polarized cells and 11.1 microns/min in scattered cells. These results demonstrate that individual microtubule dynamic behavior is markedly suppressed in polarized epithelial cells. Our results further demonstrate that in addition to its previously characterized effects on cell locomotion, hepatocyte growth factor stimulates microtubule dynamic turnover in lamellar regions of living cells.

Stimulation of microtubule dynamic turnover in living cells treated with okadaic acid

We have examined the effects of okadaic acid, an inhibitor of protein phosphatases type 1 and 2A, on the dynamic instability behavior of individual microtubules in living cells. Addition of 1 microM okadaic acid to PtK1 epithelial cells induced ruffling of lamellar regions; after 50 min in okadaic acid, many cells were observed to round up. Confocal microscopy of okadaic acid-treated cells stained with an antibody to tubulin showed that microtubules were more densely packed near the periphery of the rounded cells, and in many cells, a reduction in the density of microtubules near the microtubule-organizing center was observed. The dynamic behavior of individual microtubules in cells previously injected with rhodamine-labeled tubulin was quantified by tracking individual microtubules from image sequences. Microtubule dynamic turnover was markedly stimulated in cells treated with 1 microM okadaic acid for 50-60 min: The average rates of both microtubule growing and shortening increased, and the average duration of pause, or attenuation, a phase in which neither growth nor shortening could be detected, was significantly decreased. Further, okadaic acid induced an approximately twofold increase in the frequency of catastrophe transitions and a threefold decrease in the frequency of rescue transitions. Dynamicity, a measure of the net gain and loss of polymer at microtubule plus ends, increased nearly threefold in okadaic acid-treated cells. These results demonstrate that microtubule turnover is stimulated in okadaic acid-treated cells and suggest that phosphorylation of molecules which interact with microtubules may result in increased microtubule dynamic turnover in vivo.

Microtubules and microtubule motors: mechanisms of regulation

Microtubule-based motility is precisely regulated, and the targets of regulation may be the motor proteins, the microtubules, or both components of this intricately controlled system. Regulation of microtubule behavior can be mediated by cell cycle-dependent changes in centrosomal microtubule nucleating ability and by cell-specific, microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs). Changes in microtubule organization and dynamics have been correlated with changes in phosphorylation. Regulation of motor proteins may be required both to initiate movement and to dictate its direction. Axonemal and cytoplasmic dyneins as well as kinesin can be phosphorylated and this modification may affect the motor activities of these enzymes or their ability to interact with organelles. A more complete understanding of how motors can be modulated by phosphorylation, either of the motor proteins or of other associated substrates, will be necessary in order to understand how bidirectional transport is regulated.

Cell cycle-dependent regulation of cellular ATP concentration, and depolymerization of the interphase microtubular network induced by elevated cellular ATP concentration in whole fibroblasts

In the present work, evidence is presented indicating that an increased cellular ATP concentration during mitosis may, in conjunction with other factors [Verde et al., 1990: Nature 343:233-238; Andersen et al., 1994: J Cell Biol. 127:1289-1299], induce depolymerization of the interphase microtubular network in cultured fibroblasts. It is shown here that the cellular ATP concentration varies through the cell cycle, reaching a peak at G2M- and minimum at late G1/early S-phase. Furthermore, we have found, using indirect immunofluorescent staining with an antitubulin antibody, that depolymerization of the interphase microtubular network may be induced by increasing the intracellular ATP concentration in cultured fibroblasts from 2.2 mM to 4.1 mM. This may be obtained through addition of adenosine and P1 to the growth medium. Our results indicate that this effect of adenosine and Pi is not mediated via adenosine receptors, but through an elevated cellular ATP concentration. ATP is suggested to act through a concentration-dependent effect on the exchangeable GTP site on tubulin, and not through the action of protein kinases or microtubule-associated proteins.

Cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation and microtubule binding of tau protein stably transfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells

Tau protein, a neuronal microtubule-associated protein, is phosphorylated in situ and hyperphosphorylated when aggregated into the paired helical filaments of Alzheimer's disease. To study the phosphorylation of tau protein in vivo, we have stably transfected htau40, the largest human tau isoform, into Chinese hamster ovary cells. The distribution and phosphorylation of tau was monitored by gel shift, autoradiography, immunofluorescence, and immunoblotting, using the antibodies Tau-1, AT8, AT180, and PHF-1, which are sensitive to the phosphorylation of Ser202, Thr205, Thr231, Ser235, Ser396, and Ser404 and are used in the diagnosis of Alzheimer tau. In interphase cells, tau becomes phosphorylated to some extent, partly at these sites; most of the tau is associated with microtubules. In mitosis, the above Ser/Thr-Pro sites become almost completely phosphorylated, causing a pronounced shift in M(r) and an antibody reactivity similar to that of Alzheimer tau. Moreover, a substantial fraction of tau is found in the cytoplasm detached from microtubules. Autoradiographs of metabolically labeled Chinese hamster ovary cells in interphase and mitosis confirmed that tau protein is more highly phosphorylated during mitosis. The understanding of tau phosphorylation under physiological conditions might help elucidate possible mechanisms for the hyperphosphorylation in Alzheimer's disease.

Cytoskeletal disruption in A6 kidney cells: impact on endo/exocytosis and NaCl transport regulation by antidiuretic hormone

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH; 2.5 x 10(-8) M vasotocin) produces a stimulation of apical fluid phase endocytosis, protein secretion and NaCl reabsorption in Xenopus laevis A6 distal nephron cell epithelia pretreated with aldosterone (10(-6) M). The increase of NaCl transport is mediated by a sequential opening of apical Cl and Na conductances. The aim of this study was to characterize the actin and tubulin cytoskeleton of A6 cells and to assess the impact of its disruption on baseline and ADH-induced apical vesicular membrane movements and ion transport to test for possible functional links. The microfilament (MF) and microtubule (MT) networks and their disruption were visualized by confocal laser microscopy. Conditions of depolimerization were selected, by cytochalasin D or cold and nocodazole, respectively. MF disruption produced an increase in baseline apical protein secretion (exocytic movements) (plus 18%) and a decrease of its induction by ADH (minus 35%). MF disruption also increased baseline horseradish peroxidase uptake (endocytic movements) (plus 21%), however, without affecting its ADH-induced increase. In the case of MT disruption, the ADH-induced stimulation of both protein secretion and fluid phase endocytosis was decreased by 70 and 44%, respectively. At the ion transport level, MF and MT disruption only insignificantly affected the ADH-induced Cl conductance, while they decreased the ADH-induced stimulation of Na transport (amiloride-sensitive short-circuit current and conductance) by a factor of 2 to 4. In conclusion, both MT and MF disruption decrease ADH-induced apical protein secretion and Na conductance, while the ADH-induced apical Cl conductance is not significantly affected. Taken together the data support the hypothesis that the modulation of Na channel expression by apical vesicular membrane movements plays a role in Na transport expression and its regulation by ADH.

Influence of phosphorylation on isoform composition and function of a microtubule-associated protein from developing Artemia

A novel 49 kDa protein, which exhibits nucleotide-dependent cross-linking of microtubules in vitro and localizes to ordered microtubule arrays by immunofluorescent staining, has been purified to apparent homogeneity from the brine shrimp, Artemia. Electrophoretic analysis involving isoelectric focusing and two-dimensional gels, supplemented by staining of Western blots with affinity-purified antibody, revealed that the 49 kDa protein consists of five isoforms with pI values of 6.0-6.2. The amount of 49 kDa protein increased slightly, but its isoform composition did not change significantly, during development of Artemia gastrula to third-instar larvae. Treatment with alkaline phosphatase caused the 49 kDa protein to undergo a mobility shift on gel electrophoresis, and, by use of an antibody to phosphoserine, at least two isoforms of the protein were shown to be phosphorylated. The serine phosphate, presumably added by a post-translational mechanism, did not influence binding of the 49 kDa protein to microtubules. Under conditions in which microtubules were cross-linked, the 49 kDa protein failed to interact with actin filaments. Our results demonstrate that the 49 kDa protein, like other structural microtubule-associated proteins such as tau and MAP2, is composed of several isoforms, some of which are phosphorylated. This protein has the potential to regulate the spatial distribution of microtubules within cells but does not link microfilaments to one another or to microtubules.

Cytoskeletal control of gene expression: depolymerization of microtubules activates NF-kappa B

Cell shape changes exert specific effects on gene expression. It has been speculated that the cytoskeleton is responsible for converting changes in the cytoarchitecture to effects on gene transcription. However, the signal transduction pathways responsible for cytoskeletal-nuclear communication remained unknown. We now provide evidence that a variety of agents and conditions that depolymerize microtubules activate the sequence-specific transcription factor NF-kappa B and induce NF kappa B-dependent gene expression. These effects are caused by depolymerization of microtubule because they are blocked by the microtubule-stabilizing agent taxol. In nonstimulated cells, the majority of NF-kappa B resides in the cytosplasm as a complex with its inhibitor I kappa B. Upon cell stimulation, NF-kappa B translocates to the nucleus with concomitant degradation of I kappa B. We show that cold-induced depolymerization of microtubules also leads to I kappa B degradation and activation of NF-kappa B. However, the activated factor remains in the cytoplasm and translocates to the nucleus only upon warming to 37 degrees C, thus revealing two distinct steps in NF-kappa B activation. These findings establish a new role for NF-kappa B in sensing changes in the state of the cytoskeleton and converting them to changes in gene activity.

Microtubules and microtubule-associated proteins

Microtubule research is becoming increasingly diverse, reflecting the many isoforms and modifications of tubulin and the many proteins with which microtubules interact. Recent advances are particularly visible in four areas: microtubule motor proteins (their structures, stepping modes, and forces); microtubule nucleation (the roles of centrosomes and gamma-tubulin); tubulin folding (mediated by cytoplasmic chaperones); and the expanding list of microtubule-associated proteins, knowledge of their phosphorylation states, and information on their effects on microtubule dynamics.