Spatial patterns from oscillating microtubules.

E Mandelkow; E M Mandelkow; H Hotani; B Hess; S C Müller

doi:10.1126/science.2588005

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PubMed · 2588005

Spatial patterns from oscillating microtubules.

E Mandelkow·E M Mandelkow·H Hotani·B Hess·S C Müller

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Abstract

Microtubules are fibers of the cytoskeleton involved in the generation of cell shape and motility. They can be highly dynamic and are capable of temporal oscillations in their state of assembly. Solutions of tubulin (the subunit protein of microtubules) and guanosine triphosphate (GTP, the cofactor required for microtubule assembly and oscillations) can generate various dissipative structures. They include traveling waves of microtubule assembly and disassembly as well as polygonal networks. The results imply that cytoskeletal proteins can form dynamic spatial structures by themselves, even in the absence of cellular organizing centers. Thus the microtubule system could serve as a simple model for studying pattern formation by biomolecules in vitro.

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Biopolymers Guanosine Diphosphate Guanosine Triphosphate Light Microscopy Microtubules Motion Scattering, Radiation Solutions Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet Tubulin Video Recording Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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E Mandelkow, E M Mandelkow, H Hotani, B Hess, S C Müller. 1989-12-08. Spatial patterns from oscillating microtubules.. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.2588005

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