Microtubule Dynamic Instability Research Articles

Abstract 5165: Patterning of individual cellular behavior in collective invasion

Abstract Collective invasion is one of the most important factors accounting for the aggressiveness of solid tumors. Such behavior depends on interactions between tumor cells and between tumor and its surrounding miroenvironment, including stroma cells and extracellular matrix (ECM), which to a certain extent, can be observed in normal cells. Previously we have shown that epithelial cells can use cell-ECM-cell interaction to develop long-range (> 600 microns) invasive patterns. Here, using artificial wounding assay, we show that normal epithelial cells can develop two coexisting, orthogonal migration patterns at the tissue boundary, leading to a periodic patterning of invasion. Such patterning depends on microtubule dynamic instability and results in ROCK activation and YAP1 nuclear translocation, a process to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Surprisingly, we found that both overexpression and knockdown of an EMT marker, vimentin, can enhance collective invasion, suggesting that the role of vimentin in EMT might be context dependent and needs to be revisited. Citation Format: Chin-Lin Guo, Emilio Sanchez, Eileen Fong. Patterning of individual cellular behavior in collective invasion [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5165.

The role of tubulin-tubulin lattice contacts in the mechanism of microtubule dynamic instability.

Microtubules form from longitudinally and laterally assembling tubulin α/β-dimers. The assembly induces strain in tubulin, resulting in cycles of microtubule catastrophe and regrowth. This so-called dynamic instability is governed by GTP hydrolysis that renders the microtubule lattice unstable, but it is unclear how. We used the human microtubule nucleating and stabilising neuronal protein doublecortin and high-resolution cryo-EM to capture tubulin’s elusive hydrolysis intermediate GDP.Pi state, alongside the pre-hydrolysis analogue GMPCPP state, and the post-hydrolysis GDP state with and without an anti-cancer drug Taxol®. GTP hydrolysis to GDP.Pi, followed by Pi release, constitute distinct structural transitions, causing unevenly distributed compressions of tubulin dimers, thereby tightening longitudinal and loosening lateral inter-dimer contacts. We conclude that microtubule catastrophe is triggered because the lateral contacts can no longer counteract the strain energy stored in the lattice, while reinforcement of the longitudinal contacts may support generation of force.

Metaphase kinetochore movements are regulated by kinesin-8 motors and microtubule dynamic instability.

During metaphase, sister chromatids are connected to microtubules extending from the opposite spindle poles via kinetochores to protein complexes on the chromosome. Kinetochores congress to the equatorial plane of the spindle and oscillate around it, with kinesin-8 motors restricting these movements. Yet, the physical mechanism underlying kinetochore movements is unclear. We show that kinetochore movements in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe are regulated by kinesin-8-promoted microtubule catastrophe, force-induced rescue, and microtubule dynamic instability. A candidate screen showed that among the selected motors only kinesin-8 motors Klp5/Klp6 are required for kinetochore centering. Kinesin-8 accumulates at the end of microtubules, where it promotes catastrophe. Laser ablation of the spindle resulted in kinetochore movement toward the intact spindle pole in wild-type and klp5Δ cells, suggesting that kinetochore movement is driven by pulling forces. Our theoretical model with Langevin description of microtubule dynamic instability shows that kinesin-8 motors are required for kinetochore centering, whereas sensitivity of rescue to force is necessary for the generation of oscillations. We found that irregular kinetochore movements occur for a broader range of parameters than regular oscillations. Thus, our work provides an explanation for how regulation of microtubule dynamic instability contributes to kinetochore congression and the accompanying movements around the spindle center.

Monte Carlo simulations of microtubule arrays: The critical roles of rescue transitions, the cell boundary, and tubulin concentration in shaping microtubule distributions.

Microtubules are dynamic polymers required for a number of processes, including chromosome movement in mitosis. While regulators of microtubule dynamics have been well characterized, we lack a convenient way to predict how the measured dynamic parameters shape the entire microtubule system within a cell, or how the system responds when specific parameters change in response to internal or external signals. Here we describe a Monte Carlo model to simulate an array of dynamic microtubules from parameters including the cell radius, total tubulin concentration, microtubule nucleation rate from the centrosome, and plus end dynamic instability. The algorithm also allows dynamic instability or position of the cell edge to vary during the simulation. Outputs from simulations include free tubulin concentration, average microtubule lengths, length distributions, and individual length changes over time. Using this platform and reported parameters measured in interphase LLCPK1 epithelial cells, we predict that sequestering ~ 15–20% of total tubulin results in fewer microtubules, but promotes dynamic instability of those remaining. Simulations also predict that lowering nucleation rate will increase the stability and average length of the remaining microtubules. Allowing the position of the cell’s edge to vary over time changed the average length but not the number of microtubules and generated length distributions consistent with experimental measurements. Simulating the switch from interphase to prophase demonstrated that decreased rescue frequency at prophase is the critical factor needed to rapidly clear the cell of interphase microtubules prior to mitotic spindle assembly. Finally, consistent with several previous simulations, our results demonstrate that microtubule nucleation and dynamic instability in a confined space determines the partitioning of tubulin between monomer and polymer pools. The model and simulations will be useful for predicting changes to the entire microtubule array after modification to one or more parameters, including predicting the effects of tubulin-targeted chemotherapies.

Regulation of microtubule dynamic instability by the carboxy-terminal tail of β-tubulin.

Dynamic instability is an intrinsic property of microtubules; however, we do not understand what domains of αβ-tubulins regulate this activity or how these regulate microtubule networks in cells. Here, we define a role for the negatively charged carboxy-terminal tail (CTT) domain of β-tubulin in regulating dynamic instability. By combining in vitro studies with purified mammalian tubulin and in vivo studies with tubulin mutants in budding yeast, we demonstrate that β-tubulin CTT inhibits microtubule stability and regulates the structure and stability of microtubule plus ends. Tubulin that lacks β-tubulin CTT polymerizes faster and depolymerizes slower in vitro and forms microtubules that are more prone to catastrophe. The ends of these microtubules exhibit a more blunted morphology and rapidly switch to disassembly after tubulin depletion. In addition, we show that β-tubulin CTT is required for magnesium cations to promote depolymerization. We propose that β-tubulin CTT regulates the assembly of stable microtubule ends and provides a tunable mechanism to coordinate dynamic instability with ionic strength in the cell.

Tuning microtubule dynamics to enhance cancer therapy by modulating FER-mediated CRMP2 phosphorylation

Though used widely in cancer therapy, paclitaxel only elicits a response in a fraction of patients. A strong determinant of paclitaxel tumor response is the state of microtubule dynamic instability. However, whether the manipulation of this physiological process can be controlled to enhance paclitaxel response has not been tested. Here, we show a previously unrecognized role of the microtubule-associated protein CRMP2 in inducing microtubule bundling through its carboxy terminus. This activity is significantly decreased when the FER tyrosine kinase phosphorylates CRMP2 at Y479 and Y499. The crystal structures of wild-type CRMP2 and CRMP2-Y479E reveal how mimicking phosphorylation prevents tetramerization of CRMP2. Depletion of FER or reducing its catalytic activity using sub-therapeutic doses of inhibitors increases paclitaxel-induced microtubule stability and cytotoxicity in ovarian cancer cells and in vivo. This work provides a rationale for inhibiting FER-mediated CRMP2 phosphorylation to enhance paclitaxel on-target activity for cancer therapy.

Dynamics of Microtubule Minus Ends

Dynamic organization of microtubule minus ends is essential in many cellular contexts, including focused poles of a mitotic spindle, or non-centrosomal arrays in neurons and epithelial cells. Recent identification of proteins that specifically recognize and modulate microtubule minus ends suggests that minus-end dynamics are actively regulated in cells. In vitro, both microtubule ends switch between phases of assembly and disassembly, behavior known as microtubule dynamic instability. However, while the minus ends have characteristically slower growth rates, the frequency at which they transition from the growing to the shrinking state (known as ‘catastrophe frequency’) is similar to that at the plus ends. Thus, microtubule minus ends provide a unique perspective on the intrinsic mechanisms underlying microtubule dynamics. Here, we use an in vitro reconstitution approach with total-internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to investigate the molecular mechanisms of minus end dynamics and its regulation.

Analysis of Microtubule Dynamics Heterogeneity in Cell Culture.

Microtubules (MTs) are dynamic components of the cytoskeleton playing an important role in a large number of cell functions. Individual MTs in living cells undergo stochastic switching between alternate states of growth, shortening and attenuated phase, a phenomenon known as tempered dynamic instability. Dynamic instability of MTs is usually analyzed by labeling MTs with +TIPs, namely, EB proteins. Tracking of +TIP trajectories allows analyzing MT growth in cells with a different density of MTs. Numerous labs now use +TIP to track growing MTs in a variety of cell cultures. However, heterogeneity of MT dynamics is usually underestimated, and rather small sampling for the description of dynamic instability parameters is often used. The strategy described in this chapter is the method for repetitive quantitative analysis of MT growth rate within the same cell that allows minimization of the variation in MT dynamics measurement. We show that variability in MT dynamics within a cell when using repeated measurements is significantly less than between different cells in the same chamber. This approach allows better estimation of the heterogeneity of cells' responses to different treatments. To compare the effects of different MT inhibitors, the protocol using normalized values for MT dynamics and repetitive measurements for each cell is employed. This chapter provides detailed methods for analysis of MT dynamics in tissue cultures. We describe protocols for imaging MT dynamics by fluorescent microscopy, contrast enhancement technique, and MT dynamics analysis using triple color-coded display based on sequential subtraction analysis.

Mathematical Modeling of Effect Of Microtubule-Targeted Agents On Microtubule Dynamic Instability

Microtubule-targeted agents (MTAs), widely used in chemotherapy, are molecules that are able to block cancer cell migration and division. Their effect on microtubule (MT) dynamic instability is measured by their influence on observable parameters of MT dynamics such as growth speed, time-based catastrophe frequency, time-based rescue fre- quency, etc. In this paper, we propose a new mathematical model that is able to reproduce MT dynamics with an appropriate estimation of the main observable parameters. Using the experimental data on paclitaxel effect in presence of EB proteins, we fitted param- eters of the model from several drug concentrations. It enable us to understand which non-observable model parameters are able to reproduce the effect of MTAs and thus to highlight a new potential mechanism of action associated with MTAs effect in presence of EB protein.

Emergent Mitotic Chromosome Motions from a Changing Intracellular pH

The mechanism by which chromosomes establish and maintain a dynamic coupling to microtubules for force generation during the complex motions of mitosis remains elusive. Equally challenging is an explanation for the timing of poleward, antipoleward, and oscillatory chromosome movements. The molecular cell biology paradigm requires that specific molecules, or molecular geometries, for force generation are necessary for chromosome motions. We propose here that the dynamics of mitotic chromosome motions are an emergent property of a changing intracellular pH in combination with electrostatic forces. We explain this mechanism within the context of Complexity Theory, based on the electrostatic properties of tubulin, known cellular electric charge distributions, and the dynamic instability of microtubules.

Mechanism of MDCK II cell polarization during the cell division: A computational study

Some epithelial cells form a monolayer and individual cell in the monolayer is polarized with respect to the membrane protein location and the intracellular structure. It is observed that mitosis and cytokinesis occur in parallel to the monolayer plane so that the monolayer structure is maintained. The centrosome locations of non-mitotic cells, however, are not necessarily positioned to lead the parallel cell division. Therefore, there must be mechanisms by which centrosomes get relocated, for example in MDCK II cells, from the apical domain to lateral domain to have a proper mitosis and moved back to the apical domain after the cytokinesis. The mechanisms, however, remain poorly understood, especially the mechanical part. A computational model is constructed for centriolic microtubule asters which are driven by localized molecular motors on the cortical layer. This model shows that the interaction between the cortical bound molecular motors and microtubules can lead the two-way relocation of the centrosome. The model also shows that the microtubule dynamic instability plays an important role in initiating the relocation, the tight junction is a key element in positioning the centrosome, and the swelling nucleus can accelerate the movement of centrosome to the lateral side.

Abstract 4910: Eribulin rapidly impairs TGF-β signaling

Abstract Microtubule targeting agents (MTAs) continue to be valuable in treating breast cancer. While decades of research have shown that these drugs cause mitotic arrest in cells by suppressing the dynamic instability of microtubules, recent evidence demonstrates that the ability of MTAs to disrupt the microtubule-dependent transport of key signaling components in interphase cells likely contributes to their anticancer actions. Cell signaling messages are relayed by proteins that organize or scaffold signaling hubs. These signaling nodes facilitate the complex organization and coordination of multiple signaling partners. NEDD9 is a member of the CAS scaffold family and it has been shown to coordinate TGF-β signaling, a driver of oncogenesis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Ligand-mediated stimulation of TGF-β receptors leads to the activation of downstream canonical and non-canonical signaling pathways. These pathways collectively induce the expression of Snail and Slug, key transcriptional-repressors that promote EMT. We tested the hypothesis that a short-term treatment of breast cancer cells with eribulin or 3 other clinically relevant MTAs would differentially disrupt interphase microtubules and alter TGF-β-dependent signaling. BT-549 cells were treated for 2 h with concentrations of MTAs that are clinically relevant and cause maximum disruption of the interphase microtubule network; 100 nM was used for the destabilizers, eribulin and vinorelbine and 1 µM was used for the stabilizers, paclitaxel and ixabepilone. The results showed that eribulin and vinorelbine significantly inhibited TGF-β- induced expression of Snail and Slug. The microtubule stabilizers had no effect on Snail and Slug expression following TGF-β stimulation. Further studies evaluated whether NEDD9 contributes to the downregulation of Snail and Slug. Co-immunoprecipitation and knockdown studies suggest that eribulin impairs the ability of NEDD9 to scaffold TGF-β signaling partners, thus inhibiting downstream transcriptional signaling. Consistent with the ability of eribulin to reverse EMT in experimental models within 7 days, this study begins to shed light on the mechanisms underlying its action. Funding for this work was provided by Eisai Inc. Citation Format: Roma Kaul, April L. Risinger, Susan L. Mooberry. Eribulin rapidly impairs TGF-β signaling [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4910. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4910

Exploring the effect of end-binding proteins and microtubule targeting chemotherapy drugs on microtubule dynamic instability

Microtubules (MTs) play a key role in normal cell development and are a primary target for many cancer chemotherapy MT targeting agents (MTAs). As such, understanding MT dynamics in the presence of such agents, as well as other proteins that alter MT dynamics, is extremely important.In general, MTs grow relatively slowly and shorten very fast (almost instantaneously), an event referred to as a catastrophe. These dynamics, referred to as dynamic instability, have been studied in both experimental and theoretical settings. In the presence of MTAs, it is well known that such agents work by suppressing MT dynamics, either by promoting MT polymerization or promoting MT depolymerization. However, recent in vitro experiments show that in the presence of end-binding proteins (EBs), low doses of MTAs can increase MT dynamic instability, rather than suppress it.Here, we develop a novel mathematical model, to describe MT and EB dynamics, something which has not been done in a theoretical setting. Our MT model is based on previous modeling efforts, and consists of a pair of partial differential equations to describe length distributions for growing and shortening MT populations, and an ordinary differential equation (ODE) system to describe the time evolution for concentrations of GTP- and GDP-bound tubulin. A new extension of our approach is the use of an integral term, rather than an advection term, to describe very fast MT shortening events. Further, we introduce an ODE system to describe the binding and unbinding of EBs with MTs.To compare simulation results with experiment, we define novel mathematical expressions for time- and distance-based catastrophe frequencies. These quantities help to define MT dynamics in in vivo and in vitro settings. Simulation results show that increasing concentrations of EBs work to increase time-based catastrophe while distance-based catastrophe is less affected by changes in EB concentration, a result that is consistent with experiment.We further describe how EBs and MTAs alter MT dynamics. In the context of this modeling framework, we show that it is likely that MTAs and EBs do not work independently from one another. Thus, we propose a mechanism for how EBs can work synergistically with MTAs to promote MT dynamic instability at low MTA dose.

Regulation of Mitotic Microtubule Dynamic Instability in Monopolar Spindles by Bundling and Kinetochore Attachment

ObjectiveThe dynamics of mitotic microtubules are important for mitotic spindle assembly and chromosome segregation, but descriptive parameters have proved challenging to measure directly. We are studying the dynamic instability of single and bundled mitotic microtubules (MTs) that originate from the spindle pole bodies in fission yeasts. We marked the α‐tubulin with an m‐Cherry tag expressed at low levels to minimally perturb MT dynamics and labeled the kinetochores with a GFP tag. Using a temperature sensitive kinesin‐5 allele (cut7–24) at restrictive temperature (37°C) in which bipolar spindle assembly is blocked, we observe monopolar spindles whose dynamic MTs can be imaged directly.Results and ConclusionsThis persistent monopolar spindle allows the measurement of growth, shrinkage, catastrophe, and rescue rates for both single and bundled MTs. The kinetochores are dynamic and appear to move along bundled MTs allowing us to study correlated dynamics of the MTs and kinetochores. We have compared MT dynamics and bundling in this strain with others that contain additional perturbations to proteins that affect MT dynamics and bundling. To quantify these parameters, we have authored software to automate detection and measurement of MT and kinetochore dynamics and their changes over time in monopolar spindles. To quantify the rate of tubulin turnover in this system, we have performed photobleaching experiments in which we detect the substitution of unbleached tubulin dimers for bleached ones using fluorescence recovery (FRAP).Support or Funding InformationThis work was supported by NSF grants DMR‐1551095 to MDB, and NIH grants K25 GM110486 to MDB and R01 GM033787 to JRM.

Se/Ru-Decorated Porous Metal-Organic Framework Nanoparticles for The Delivery of Pooled siRNAs to Reversing Multidrug Resistance in Taxol-Resistant Breast Cancer Cells.

We report here a novel and personalized strategy of selenium/ruthenium nanoparticles modified metal organic frameworks MIL-101(Fe) for delivering pooled small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to enhance therapy efficacy by silencing multidrug resistance (MDR) genes and interfere with microtubule (MT) dynamics in MCF-7/T (Taxol-resistance) cell. The existence of coordinatively unsaturated metal sites in MIL-101(Fe) can strongly interact with the electron-rich functional groups of cysteine, which can be regarded as the linkage between selenium/ruthenium nanoparticles and MIL-101(Fe). Se@MIL-101 and Ru@MIL-101 loaded with MDR gene-silencing siRNAs via surface coordination can significantly enhance protection of siRNAs against nuclease degradation, increase siRNA cellular uptake, and promote siRNA escape from endosomes/lysosome to silence MDR genes in MCF-7/T cell, resulting in enhanced cytotoxicity through the induction of apoptosis with the signaling pathways of phosphorylation of p53, MAPK, and PI3K/Akt and the dynamic instability of MTs and disrupting normal mitotic spindle formation. Furthermore, in vivo investigation of the nanoparticles on nude mice bearing MCF-7/T cancer xenografts confirmed that Se@MIL-101-(P+V)siRNA nanoparticles can significantly enhance cancer therapeutic efficacy and decrease systemic toxicity in vivo.

Live Imaging to Study Microtubule Dynamic Instability in Taxane-resistant Breast Cancers.

Taxanes such as docetaxel belong to a group of microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) that are commonly relied upon to treat cancer. However, taxane resistance in cancerous cells drastically reduces the effectiveness of the drugs' long-term usage. Accumulated evidence suggests that the mechanisms underlying taxane resistance include both general mechanisms, such as the development of multidrug resistance due to the overexpression of drug-efflux proteins, and taxane-specific mechanisms, such as those that involve microtubule dynamics. Because taxanes target cell microtubules, measuring microtubule dynamic instability is an important step in determining the mechanisms of taxane resistance and provides insight into how to overcome this resistance. In the experiment, an in vivo method was used to measure microtubule dynamic instability. GFP-tagged α-tubulin was expressed and incorporated into microtubules in MCF-7 cells, allowing for the recording of the microtubule dynamics by time lapse using a sensitive camera. The results showed that, as opposed to the non-resistant parental MCF-7CC cells, the microtubule dynamics of docetaxel-resistant MCF-7TXT cells are insensitive to docetaxel treatment, which causes the resistance to docetaxel-induced mitotic arrest and apoptosis. This paper will outline this in vivo method of measuring microtubule dynamic instability.

Live Imaging to Study Microtubule Dynamic Instability in Taxane-resistant Breast Cancers

Live Imaging to Study Microtubule Dynamic Instability in Taxane-resistant Breast Cancers

Abstract P4-04-04: Eribulin impairs TGF-β type I receptor localization and signaling in BT-549 cells

Abstract Microtubule targeting agents (MTAs) continue to be some of the most valuable drugs used to treat breast cancer. While decades of research have shown that these drugs cause mitotic arrest in cells by suppressing the dynamic instability of microtubules, recent evidence demonstrates that the ability of MTAs to disrupt microtubule-dependent transport of key signaling components, including proteins and microRNAs, in interphase cells likely contributes to their anticancer actions. TGF-β signaling is a driver of oncogenesis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) that involves multiple protein trafficking and intracellular signaling events. Ligand mediated activation of the cell surface TGF-β receptors leads to downstream signaling in the canonical and the non-canonical pathways that collectively lead to the expression of proteins implicated in EMT, including Snail and Slug. Additionally, TGF-β type 1 receptor (TGF-βR1) undergoes constant cycling from the plasma membrane to the cytosol, a microtubule-dependent process. We tested the hypothesis that a short-term treatment of breast cancer cells with eribulin or 3 other clinically relevant MTAs would differentially disrupt interphase microtubules and alter the transport and downstream signaling of TGF-βR1. BT-549 cells were treated for 2 h with concentrations of MTAs that cause comparable disruption of the interphase microtubule network; 100 nM was used for the destabilizers, eribulin or vinorelbine and 1 µm was used for the stabilizers, paclitaxel or ixabepilone. The results show that TGF-βR1 was extensively localized along the stabilizer-induced microtubule bundles, a phenomenon not observed with destabilizer-treated cells. The downstream consequences were further assessed. The expression of Snail and Slug were evaluated in cells pretreated with MTAs followed by TGF-β stimulation. Eribulin and vinorelbine significantly inhibited the TGF-β-induced expression of Snail and Slug while stabilizers did not alter their expression levels. We hypothesize that eribulin and vinorelbine are inhibiting the non-canonical TGF-β signaling pathway since they had no effect on the localization and expression of Smad2/3, proteins involved in the canonical pathway. Eribulin induced inhibition of TGF-β signaling is consistent with previous studies that show that a 7 day treatment reversed TGF-β mediated EMT in breast cancer cells1. Data from patients shows that eribulin decreases the plasma concentration of TGF-β within 7 days of treatment initiation2. Our data suggest that eribulin rapidly inhibits non-canonical TGF-β signaling indicating that this is a potential mechanism for the eribulin-mediated EMT reversal. This information, together with previously published reports, suggest that eribulin has multiple effects leading to inhibition of TGF-β signaling. These studies begin to shed light into the diverse mechanisms of action of MTAs. 1. Yoshida T, et al., Brit J Cancer 110(6): 1497-505, 2014 2. Ueda S, et al., Brit J Cancer, 2016 This work is funded by Eisai Inc. Citation Format: Kaul R, Risinger AL, Mooberry SL. Eribulin impairs TGF-β type I receptor localization and signaling in BT-549 cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-04-04.

Formin' bridges between microtubules and actin filaments in axonal growth cones.

Formin' bridges between microtubules and actin filaments in axonal growth cones.

Synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy characterization of structures and forces in microtubule/Tau mixtures.

Tau, a neuronal protein known to bind to microtubules and thereby regulate microtubule dynamic instability, has been shown recently to not only undergo conformational transitions on the microtubule surface as a function of increasing microtubule coverage density (i.e., with increasing molar ratio of Tau to tubulin dimers) but also to mediate higher-order microtubule architectures, mimicking fascicles of microtubules found in the axon initial segment. These discoveries would not have been possible without fine structure characterization of microtubules, with and without applied osmotic pressure through the use of depletants. Herein, we discuss the two primary techniques used to elucidate the structure, phase behavior, and interactions in microtubule/Tau mixtures: transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering. While the former is able to provide striking qualitative images of bundle morphologies and vacancies, the latter provides angstrom-level resolution of bundle structures and allows measurements in the presence of in situ probes, such as osmotic depletants. The presented structural characterization methods have been applied both to equilibrium mixtures, where paclitaxel is used to stabilize microtubules, and also to dissipative nonequilibrium mixtures at 37°C in the presence of GTP and lacking paclitaxel.