Microtubules: strange polymers inside the cell

Citation
H. Bolterauer et al., Microtubules: strange polymers inside the cell, BIOELECTR B, 48(2), 1999, pp. 285-295
Citations number
30
Categorie Soggetti
Biochemistry & Biophysics
Journal title
BIOELECTROCHEMISTRY AND BIOENERGETICS
ISSN journal
03024598 → ACNP
Volume
48
Issue
2
Year of publication
1999
Pages
285 - 295
Database
ISI
SICI code
0302-4598(199905)48:2<285:MSPITC>2.0.ZU;2-N
Abstract
This paper provides a consistent approach (within a one-dimensional approxi mation) to the description of the evolution of the microtubule length at bo th low- and high-density concentrations. We derive general master-type equa tions which are based on the key chemical reactions involved in the assembl y and disassembly of microtubules. The processes included are: polymerizati on and depolymerization of a single protein dimer, catastrophic disassembly affecting an a piori arbitrary number of dimers, and a rescue event. Solut ions of the derived equations are compared with the existing experimental d ata. Important conclusions linking the emergence of bell-shaped histograms with the nature of catastrophe and rescue phenomena are drawn. Finally, we briefly discuss the emergence of coherent phenomena in microtubule polymeri zation, i.e., a transition to collective oscillations in the assembly and d isassembly effects. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.