Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
8-4-2018
Abstract
The C. elegans tubulin family is composed of nine α-, six β-, and one γ-tubulin. Tubulins are highly conserved, functioning as α-β heterodimers that assemble into microtubules. These cylindrical and ubiquitous components of the cytoskeleton are critical for nearly all cellular and developmental processes. C. elegans has provided a model for the study of microtubules in multiple settings including separation of chromosomes, cellular polarity, and neuronal sensation. Tubulins and microtubules interact with a long list of other cellular proteins that regulate tubulin homeostasis, modify microtubule dynamics, and control incorporation into or disassociation of higher-order cellular structures such as spindles or ciliary axonemes. A collection of enzymes modifies tubulins, often at the variable carboxyl-terminal tail, adding another layer of regulation to microtubule structure and function. Genetic and cytological studies in C. elegans have revealed roles for tubulin and its associated proteins in numerous contexts from embryogenesis to adult behavior.
DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.1895/wormbook.1.182.1
Publication Information
Hurd, Daryl D. (2018). "Tubulins in C. elegans." WormBook , 1-32.
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Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Comments
Copyright: © 2018 Daryl D. Hurd.
This chapter should be cited as: Hurd D.D. Tubulins in C. elegans. (August 4, 2018), WormBook, ed. The C. elegans Research Community, WormBook, doi/10.1895/wormbook.1.182.1, http://www.wormbook.org.