Taxol binds differentially to flagellar outer doublets and their reassembled microtubules

Jerome Parness, Clara F. Asnes, Susan Band Horwitz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Taxol induces the in vitro assembly of calcium stable microtubules from flagellar tubulin solubilized from sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) sperm tail outer doublets by sonication. Assembly occurs in the presence or absence of exogenous GTP. The drug (10 μM) reduces the critical concentration of protein required for assembly to ⩽0.04 mg/ml. 3H‐Taxol binds specifically to both isolated flagellar outer doublets and to reassembled microtubules with calculated maximal binding ratios of 0.25 and 1.32 moles taxol/mole polymerized flagellar tubulin dimer, respectively. We suggest that the discrepancy in maximal binding ratios may result from the presence of an endogenous molecule(s) along the surface of outer doublet microtubules that restricts taxol binding to that structure.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)123-130
Number of pages8
JournalCell Motility
Volume3
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1983

Keywords

  • flagellar outer doublets
  • microtubules
  • taxol
  • tubulin

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cell Biology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Taxol binds differentially to flagellar outer doublets and their reassembled microtubules'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this