Nithianantham S, Le S, Seto E, Jia W, Leary J, Corbett KD, Moore JK, Al-Bassam J. Tubulin cofactors and Arl2 are cage-like chaperones that regulate the soluble αβ-tubulin pool for microtubule dynamics.
eLife 2015. [PMID:
26208336 PMCID:
PMC4574351 DOI:
10.7554/elife.08811]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubule dynamics and polarity stem from the polymerization of
αβ-tubulin heterodimers. Five conserved tubulin cofactors/chaperones
and the Arl2 GTPase regulate α- and β-tubulin assembly into
heterodimers and maintain the soluble tubulin pool in the cytoplasm, but their
physical mechanisms are unknown. Here, we reconstitute a core tubulin chaperone
consisting of tubulin cofactors TBCD, TBCE, and Arl2, and reveal a cage-like
structure for regulating αβ-tubulin. Biochemical assays and electron
microscopy structures of multiple intermediates show the sequential binding of
αβ-tubulin dimer followed by tubulin cofactor TBCC onto this chaperone,
forming a ternary complex in which Arl2 GTP hydrolysis is activated to alter
αβ-tubulin conformation. A GTP-state locked Arl2 mutant inhibits
ternary complex dissociation in vitro and causes severe defects in microtubule
dynamics in vivo. Our studies suggest a revised paradigm for tubulin cofactors and
Arl2 functions as a catalytic chaperone that regulates soluble
αβ-tubulin assembly and maintenance to support microtubule
dynamics.
DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.08811.001
Cells contain a network of protein filaments called microtubules. These filaments are
involved in many biological processes; for example, they help cells keep the right
shape, and they help to transport proteins and other materials inside cells.
Two proteins called α-tubulin and β-tubulin are the building blocks of
microtubules. The filaments are very dynamic structures that can rapidly change
length as individual tubulin units are either added or removed to the filament ends.
Several proteins known as tubulin cofactors and an enzyme called Arl2 help to build a
vast pool of tubulin units that are able attach to the microtubules. These
units—called αβ-tubulin—are formed by α-tubulin
and β-tubulin binding to each other, but it not clear exactly what roles the
tubulin cofactors and Arl2 play in this process.
Nithianantham et al. used a combination of microscopy and biochemical techniques to
study how the tubulin cofactors and Arl2 are organised, and their role in the
assembly of microtubules in yeast. The experiments show that Arl2 and two tubulin
cofactors associate with each other to form a stable ‘complex’ that has
a cage-like structure. A molecule of αβ-tubulin binds to the complex,
followed by another cofactor called TBCC. This activates the enzyme activity of Arl2,
which releases the energy needed to alter the shape of the αβ-tubulin.
Nithianantham et al. also found that yeast cells with a mutant form of Arl2 that
lacked enzyme activity had problems forming microtubules.
Together, these findings show that the tubulin cofactors and Arl2 form a complex that
regulates the assembly and maintenance of αβ-tubulin. The next
challenge is to understand how this regulation influences the way that microtubules
grow and shrink inside cells.
DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.08811.002
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