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δ-Tubulin and ɛ-tubulin: two new human centrosomal tubulins reveal new aspects of centrosome structure and function

Nature Cell Biology volume 2, pages 30–35 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

The centrosome organizes microtubules, which are made up of α-tubulin and β-tubulin, and contains centrosome-bound γ-tubulin, which is involved in microtubule nucleation. Here we identify two new human tubulins and show that they are associated with the centrosome. One is a homologue of the Chlamydomonas δ-tubulin Uni3, and the other is a new tubulin, which we have named ɛ-tubulin. Localization of δ-tubulin and ɛ-tubulin to the centrosome is independent of microtubules, and the patterns of localization are distinct from each other and from that of γ-tubulin. δ-Tubulin is found in association with the centrioles, whereas ɛ-tubulin localizes to the pericentriolar material. ɛ-Tubulin exhibits a cell-cycle-specific pattern of localization, first associating with only the older of the centrosomes in a newly duplicated pair and later associating with both centrosomes. ɛ-Tubulin thus distinguishes the old centrosome from the new at the level of the pericentriolar material, indicating that there may be a centrosomal maturation event that is marked by the recruitment of ɛ-tubulin.

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Figure 1: Comparison of human tubulin sequences.
Figure 2: Localization of centrin, γ-tubulin, δ-tubulin and ɛ-tubulin to the centrosome.
Figure 3: Sucrose-gradient sedimentation of human tubulins.
Figure 4: Cell-cycle localization of ɛ-tubulin in synchronized cell populations.
Figure 5: ɛ-Tubulin localizes preferentially to the old centrosome.
Figure 6: Centrosomal nucleation of microtubules is independent of ɛ-tubulin localization and centrosome separation.

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Acknowledgements

We thank A. Sidow for advice on sequence comparisons, and S. Murphy, K. Lacey and J.C. Zabala for comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by grants to T.S. from the NIH (GM52022) and from the Searle Scholars Foundation.

Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to T.S.

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, 94305-5020,, California, USA

    Paul Chang & Tim Stearns

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Correspondence to Tim Stearns.

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Chang, P., Stearns, T. δ-Tubulin and ɛ-tubulin: two new human centrosomal tubulins reveal new aspects of centrosome structure and function. Nat Cell Biol 2, 30–35 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/71350

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