alpha Tubulin 4a: Proteins and Enzymes

Microtubules are involved in a wide variety of cellular activities ranging from mitosis and transport events to cell movement and the maintainance of cell shape. Tubulin itself is a globular protein which consists of two polypeptides (alpha and beta tubulin). Alpha and beta tubulin dimers are assembled to 13 protofilaments that form a microtubule of 22 nm diameter. Tyrosine ligase ads a C-terminal tyrosin to monomeric alpha tubulin. Assembled microtubules can again be detyrosinated by a ...