Abstract
At first glance, the structure of a microtubule is simple. Globular α- and β-tubulin subunits form constitutive heterodimers that align head-to-tail in protofilaments. In the most common configuration, 13 protofilaments associate laterally with a slight longitudinal stagger that results in a left-handed 3-start helix featuring lateral associations between tubulin subunits. This seemingly straightforward description is actually based on almost half a century of research aimed at understanding how tubulin dimers interact within the microtubule lattice. But while we start to have a good overview of their architecture in vitro, our knowledge of microtubule-lattice organization in vivo is nowhere near to being complete.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.