DISTRIBUTION OF ACETYLATED TUBULIN IN CULTURED-CELLS AND TISSUES FROMTHE ATLANTIC COD (GADUS-MORHUA) - ROLE OF ACETYLATION IN COLD ADAPTATION AND DRUG STABILITY

The Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) is a poikilothermic animal living at t emperatures between 2-15 degrees C. Isolated cod brain tubulin is, in contrast to mammalian brain tubulin, posttranslationally modified by a cetylation to a high extent. To investigate the role of acetylation in cold adaptation, microtubules were isolated by a taxol-dependent proc edure from different organs of the cod, and cells from different tissu es were cultured. All cells from skin and brain were able to grow betw een 4 degrees C and room temperature. Microtubules in the cultured cel ls were sometimes severed near the periphery of the cells. Microtubule s in brain cells were in general more stable to vinblastine and colchi cine, when compared to skin cells. Acetylated microtubules were found only in brain cells, in peripheral nerves on scales and in nerves of t he intestinal tract and in microtubules isolated from neuronal tissue. Our results show that acetylated microtubules are found both in the c entral and peripheral nervous system, but that there is no correlation between acetylation and cold-adaptation.