Skip to main content

BtubA-BtubB heterodimer is an essential intermediate in protofilament assembly.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Sontag, CA; Sage, H; Erickson, HP
Published in: PLoS One
September 29, 2009

BACKGROUND: BtubA and BtubB are two tubulin-like genes found in the bacterium Prosthecobacter. Our work and a previous crystal structure suggest that BtubB corresponds to alpha-tubulin and BtubA to beta-tubulin. A 1:1 mixture of the two proteins assembles into tubulin-like protofilaments, which further aggregate into pairs and bundles. The proteins also form a BtubA/B heterodimer, which appears to be a repeating subunit in the protofilament. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have designed point mutations to disrupt the longitudinal interfaces bonding subunits into protofilaments. The mutants are in two classes, within dimers and between dimers. We have characterized one mutant of each class for BtubA and BtubB. When mixed 1:1 with a wild type partner, none of the mutants were capable of assembly. An excess of between-dimer mutants could depolymerize preformed wild type polymers, while within-dimer mutants had no activity. CONCLUSIONS: An essential first step in assembly of BtubA + BtubB is formation of a heterodimer. An excess of between-dimer mutants depolymerize wild type BtubA/B by sequestering the partner wild type subunit into inactive dimers. Within-dimer mutants cannot form dimers and have no activity.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

PLoS One

DOI

EISSN

1932-6203

Publication Date

September 29, 2009

Volume

4

Issue

9

Start / End Page

e7253

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Tubulin
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Polymers
  • Point Mutation
  • Mutation
  • Models, Molecular
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Light
  • Kinetics
  • Hydrolysis
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Sontag, C. A., Sage, H., & Erickson, H. P. (2009). BtubA-BtubB heterodimer is an essential intermediate in protofilament assembly. PLoS One, 4(9), e7253. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0007253
Sontag, Christopher A., Harvey Sage, and Harold P. Erickson. “BtubA-BtubB heterodimer is an essential intermediate in protofilament assembly.PLoS One 4, no. 9 (September 29, 2009): e7253. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0007253.
Sontag CA, Sage H, Erickson HP. BtubA-BtubB heterodimer is an essential intermediate in protofilament assembly. PLoS One. 2009 Sep 29;4(9):e7253.
Sontag, Christopher A., et al. “BtubA-BtubB heterodimer is an essential intermediate in protofilament assembly.PLoS One, vol. 4, no. 9, Sept. 2009, p. e7253. Pubmed, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0007253.
Sontag CA, Sage H, Erickson HP. BtubA-BtubB heterodimer is an essential intermediate in protofilament assembly. PLoS One. 2009 Sep 29;4(9):e7253.

Published In

PLoS One

DOI

EISSN

1932-6203

Publication Date

September 29, 2009

Volume

4

Issue

9

Start / End Page

e7253

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Tubulin
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Polymers
  • Point Mutation
  • Mutation
  • Models, Molecular
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Light
  • Kinetics
  • Hydrolysis