Microtubule functions

Axonal transport

can measure by using giant squid axon

when cytoplasm gets rolled out, can see many molecules moving around in the microtubules

the molecules that move around, move around at different speeds

conclusion that do move their structures around, ATP is required

how the technique is conducted

inject radioactive aa into the squid axon

radioactive aa is incorporated into protein machinery of the axons

the proteins produced are radioactive and move around the microtubules

because they are radioactive, they can be detected and collected at different sections of the axon

the proteins can be isolated with SDS page

the proteins are detected at different axon segments when waiting different amount of time

proves different proteins travel at different speeds in the microtubules

proves this is not diffusion

proves the proteins travel in groups

different proteins travel at a certain speed

injections must repeated while waiting longer to observed where a protein group has migrated to

kinesin

many different types exist

anatomy

2 heavy head chains

2 light chains that are variable to recognize different stuff

binds to the microtubule and have ATPase activity
to move to the + end

they can bind to cargo

composed of different domains

head

flexible neck (linker)

stalk (tail)

leads to the light chain

usually used for anterograde transport

some different types

Kinesin-1

Kinesin-2

Kinesin-5

Kinesin-13

the classic kinesin structure

2 different heavy chains and has a heterodomain for cargo binding

bipolar with 2 head domains that permit for microtubule sliding

they have a tail domain that overlap between the 2 kinesins

the head domains are always ATPase activity that bind to the microtubule

simply a head and neck domain that bind to the MT and remove dimers with ATP hydrolysis

works on both the + and - ends and favors MT disassembly

heterodomain is for organelle transport

ATP hydrolysis causes the kinesin head to undergo conformational change and step forward (16 nm each step)

regulated as it is inactive when folded

it is activated upon receptor binding

kinesin is positioned between and alpha and beta dimer

when not moving they are 8 nm apart

cytoplasmic dynein

involved in retrograde transport (goes to - end)

heavy chains

have ATPase activity

have a stalk that is part of the head

tail domain

along with the linker region,they interact with the dynactin hetero complex to recognize and bind cargo

the tail structure does not directly bind to the cargo

the dynactin complex

has many components such as actin, Arp1 filament and CapZ

one important protein, dynamitin helps regulate the binding to the cargo and releases when dynein reach the - end

too much dynamitin causes dynactin(protein complex) and dynein to explode apart

150glued binds the complex to the MT but is not a motor

cooperates with dynein in anterograde/retrograde transport where they themselves can be the cargo to go back and fourth

posttranslational modification of tubulin affect MT stability and transport

ex: acetylation of a lysin residue

axonemal bending

cilia and flagella

they are short/long versions of the same thing

cilila is 2-10 micro meters

flagella is 10- 2000 micro meters

sweeps material across tissues

propels cells

in both cases the structure is bending/sweeping to move stuff across the cell or moving the cells itself

more abundant than flagella

less abundant than cilia

axoneme

structure

9 doublet rings surrounding the a central pair of singlet microtubules (diff from cytoplasmic ones)

this is the 9+2 array

nexin and other proteins hold the doublets in place

the radial spoke heads does the same thing

they extend from a basal body, not a centrosome

has its own plasma membrane

axonemal dyenin can also be found such that it is stuck on the A-tubule and extends towards the B-tubule

from the basal body, it is a triplet microtubule and becomes a doublet at the transition zone

the center of the basal body or or may not have a singlet in the center

only A+B MT are extension from the basal body

this means the basal body contributes to MT polymerization while the centrioles do not

how bending occurs

it occurs through sliding with MT sliding past each other which is powered by axonemal dynein while being stopped by nexin

the basal body and nexin prevents sliding by holding the MT in place

can also be used for signalling

uses cytoplasmic dynein to transport retrograde and anterograde(this is to receive and give signals)

these are the same microtubules that are used for bending (the MT has multi-function)

example

interphase cells with non-motile primary cilium with no axonemal dynein that are important for signaling

the axonemal structure has no axonemal dynein and is only used for signaling

stabilized by acetylated tubulin

this cilium sends out important signals only in interphase

there is no MT present in the center

Karyokinesis

it is defined as the division of chromosomes

cytokinesis is the division of the cytoplasm

in interphase, the centrosome has not duplicated yet

when they duplicate, mitotic poles arise

MT stability and instability in interphase vs mitosis

in interphase XMAP215 stabilizes the MT

when XMAP215 is inactivated through phosphorylation, it increases the dynamic ability of MT during mitosis

nucleation of MT also increases a lot in mitosis

the mitotic apparatus

polar MT

Kinetochore MT

Astral MT

MT attached to kinetochore

MT going away from the poles

MT that is not capturing a kentitochore and can 2 can be found antiparallel to each other

how attachment occurs

(+) end goes to kinetochore but this part of the MT is still free to move

pulling is done by dynein

pushing is done by the motor protein, CNPE

metaphase

anaphase

to ensure kinetochore is attached on both ends

to ensure there is proper alignment

uses phorphorylation by aurora on protein Ndc 80

corticol anchor

one side is inactivated and other is activated to move the kinetochores to center

driven in 2 phases

anaphase A

anaphase B

chromosomes move to the ends

done through disassembly on both ends

poles is separating and cell starts elongating

driven by motor proteins

kinesin-5 is in the middle of polar MT moving to their + end to undo the overlap and pushes the poles apart

astral MT dynein is activated, depolymerization the MT and causes the pulling motion of the poles