Characterization of a major brain tubulin variant which cannot be tyrosinated

Steady-state kinetic mechanism of bovine brain tubulin: tyrosine ligase

The ATP-dependent resynthesis of tubulin from tyrosine and untyrosinated tubulin was examined to establish the most probable steady-state kinetic mechanism of the tubulin: tyrosine ligase (ADP-forming). Three pair-wise sets of initial rate experiments, involving variation of two substrates pair-wise with the third substrate held at a high (but non-saturating) level, yielded convergent-line data, a behaviour that is diagnostic for sequential mechanisms. Michaelis constants were 14 microM, 1.9 microM and 17 microM for ATP, untyrosinated tubulin and L-tyrosine respectively, and the maximal velocity was 0.2 microM/min. AMP was a competitive inhibitor with respect to ATP, and a non-competitive inhibitor versus either tubulin or tyrosine. Likewise, L-dihydroxyphenylalanine acted competitively relative to tyrosine and non-competitively with respect to either ATP or tubulin. These findings directly support a random sequential mechanism. Product inhibition patterns with ADP were also consistent with this assignment; however, inhibition studies were not practical with either orthophosphate or tyrosinated tubulin because both were very weak inhibitors. Substrate protection of the enzyme against alkylation by N-ethylmaleimide and thermal inactivation, along with evidence of enzyme binding to ATP-Sepharose and tubulin-Sepharose, also supports the idea that this three-substrate enzyme reaction exhibits a random substrate addition pathway.

Class II tubulin, the major brain beta tubulin isotype is polyglutamylated on glutamic acid residue 435

Protein sequencing shows that porcine brain tubulin retains the N-terminal sequences of alpha and beta tubulin after a mild treatment with subtilisin. C-terminal peptides released by subtilisin were purified and characterized by automated Edman degradation and mass spectrometry. We confirm the polyglutamylation of alpha tubulin on glutamic acid residue 445 reported by others and show in addition that class II beta tubulin, the major beta tubulin isotype of adult brain, is also polyglutamylated. The substitution is restricted to glutamic acid residue 435. Thus all major tubulin isotypes of adult brain are subjected to polyglutamylation.