Microtubule's conformational cap.

D Chrétien; I Jáinosi; J C Taveau; H Flyvbjerg

doi:10.1247/csf.24.299

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PubMed · 15216886

Microtubule's conformational cap.

D Chrétien·I Jáinosi·J C Taveau·H Flyvbjerg

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Abstract

The molecular mechanisms that allow elongation of the unstable microtubule lattice remain unclear. It is usually thought that the GDP-liganded tubulin lattice is capped by a small layer of GTP- or GDP-Pi-liganded molecules, the so called "GTP-cap". Here, we point-out that the elastic properties of the microtubule lattice cause a difference in stability between the elongating tubulin sheet and the completed microtubule wall. The implications of our observations for microtubule structure and dynamics are discussed.

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Binding Sites Computer Simulation Cryoelectron Microscopy Elasticity Guanosine Diphosphate Guanosine Triphosphate Macromolecular Substances Microtubules Models, Biological Models, Molecular Protein Binding Protein Conformation Thermodynamics Tubulin Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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D Chrétien, I Jáinosi, J C Taveau, H Flyvbjerg. 1999. Microtubule's conformational cap.. https://doi.org/10.1247/csf.24.299

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