Biomaterial Database

Assembly of nonneural microtubules in the absence of glycerol and microtubule-associated proteins. 1979

K H Doenges, and M Weissinger, and R Fritzsche, and D Schroeter

Microtubule protein from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells purified by an in vitro polymerization process in the absence of glycerol and calcium chelators contains several accessory proteins but lacks the high molecular weight proteins which are present in neurotubulin. DEAE-Sephadex chromatography of two-times cycled tubulin removes these nontubulin proteins, resulting in pure tubulin, as critically examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. This tubulin can readily assemble into microtubules in assembly buffer, at low magnesium concentrations, without glycerol and at tubulin concentrations above 0.8 mg/mL. Electron microscopy shows that the tubules are identical with normal microtubules. When the purified tubulin fraction was reduced and carboxymethylated, a significant minor protein component could be observed electrophoretically, migrating between alpha- and beta-tubulin. At present, the identity and function of this protein are not known. The results demonstrate that the in vitro assembly of tubulin from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells does not require high molecular weight proteins or gamma-like factor(s) as has been proposed for the neurotubulin system.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D008870	Microtubules	Slender, cylindrical filaments found in the cytoskeleton of plant and animal cells. They are composed of the protein TUBULIN and are influenced by TUBULIN MODULATORS.	Microtubule
D009363	Neoplasm Proteins	Proteins whose abnormal expression (gain or loss) are associated with the development, growth, or progression of NEOPLASMS. Some neoplasm proteins are tumor antigens (ANTIGENS, NEOPLASM), i.e. they induce an immune reaction to their tumor. Many neoplasm proteins have been characterized and are used as tumor markers (BIOMARKERS, TUMOR) when they are detectable in cells and body fluids as monitors for the presence or growth of tumors. Abnormal expression of ONCOGENE PROTEINS is involved in neoplastic transformation, whereas the loss of expression of TUMOR SUPPRESSOR PROTEINS is involved with the loss of growth control and progression of the neoplasm.	Proteins, Neoplasm
D002286	Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor	A transplantable, poorly differentiated malignant tumor which appeared originally as a spontaneous breast carcinoma in a mouse. It grows in both solid and ascitic forms.	Ehrlich Ascites Tumor,Ascites Tumor, Ehrlich,Ehrlich Tumor Carcinoma,Tumor, Ehrlich Ascites
D005990	Glycerol	A trihydroxy sugar alcohol that is an intermediate in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. It is used as a solvent, emollient, pharmaceutical agent, or sweetening agent.	1,2,3-Propanetriol,Glycerin,1,2,3-Trihydroxypropane,Glycerine
D006023	Glycoproteins	Conjugated protein-carbohydrate compounds including MUCINS; mucoid, and AMYLOID glycoproteins.	C-Glycosylated Proteins,Glycosylated Protein,Glycosylated Proteins,N-Glycosylated Proteins,O-Glycosylated Proteins,Glycoprotein,Neoglycoproteins,Protein, Glycosylated,Proteins, C-Glycosylated,Proteins, Glycosylated,Proteins, N-Glycosylated,Proteins, O-Glycosylated
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014404	Tubulin	A microtubule subunit protein found in large quantities in mammalian brain. It has also been isolated from SPERM FLAGELLUM; CILIA; and other sources. Structurally, the protein is a dimer with a molecular weight of approximately 120,000 and a sedimentation coefficient of 5.8S. It binds to COLCHICINE; VINCRISTINE; and VINBLASTINE.	alpha-Tubulin,beta-Tubulin,delta-Tubulin,epsilon-Tubulin,gamma-Tubulin,alpha Tubulin,beta Tubulin,delta Tubulin,epsilon Tubulin,gamma Tubulin
D046911	Macromolecular Substances	Compounds and molecular complexes that consist of very large numbers of atoms and are generally over 500 kDa in size. In biological systems macromolecular substances usually can be visualized using ELECTRON MICROSCOPY and are distinguished from ORGANELLES by the lack of a membrane structure.	Macromolecular Complexes,Macromolecular Compounds,Macromolecular Compounds and Complexes,Complexes, Macromolecular,Compounds, Macromolecular,Substances, Macromolecular
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus