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Microtubule-stabilizing proteins are common at the growing plus end of filaments, but Barros et al. (page 1039) have evidence that such proteins may work at the minus end as well.Barros et al., and papers from Kinoshita et al. on page 1047, and Peset et al. on page 1057, aim to understand what controls the shift from a radial network of interphase microtubules to the bipolar astral and spindle microtubules (MTs) required for mitosis.
The phosphorylated version (light blue) of D-TACC (dark blue) helps focus microtubule nucleation at centrosomes.
Previous studies showed that TACC (transforming acidic coiled-coil) proteins work with Msps, also called XMAP215, to stabilize MTs during mitosis. The details of the interactions and mechanism have been unclear.
The authors found that TACC binds to Msps in a one-to-one ratio. The complex had greater affinity for MTs than did either protein...
The Rockefeller University Press
2005
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