Abstract
The number, length, distribution and polarity of microtubules are largely controlled by microtubule-organizing centres, which nucleate and anchor microtubule minus ends in a process that requires γ-tubulin. Here we discuss recent evidence indicating that γ-tubulin-dependent formation of new microtubules is not restricted to conventional microtubule-organizing centres. These findings suggest that the spatio-temporal control of microtubule nucleation is more complex than previously thought, leading us to a re-evaluation of the concept of the microtubule-organizing center.
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We thank M.-F. Bryan Tsou for critical reading of the manuscript and E. Vladar for helpful comments.
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Lüders, J., Stearns, T. Microtubule-organizing centres: a re-evaluation. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 8, 161–167 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm2100
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm2100
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