Structural switching of tubulin in the microtubule lattice.

Abstract

Microtubule (MT) dynamic instability, a cycle of growth, catastrophe, shrinkage and rescue, is driven by the switching of tubulin between two structural states, one stabilised by GTP and the other by GDP. Recent work has uncovered the ancient origins of this structural switch and revealed further fundamental elements of microtubule dynamic instability, whereby switching can be brought about by a range of allosteric effectors, propagate deep within the lattice of assembled MTs, and profoundly affect MT function. Here, we review evidence for structural switching within the MT lattice and discuss current ideas about its mechanisms.