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γ-tubulin nucleation: template or protofilament?

Abstract

γ-tubulin is known to nucleate microtubule assembly from α/β-tubulin, but the molecular mechanism by which this process occurs is the subject of some controversy. Four recent papers have provided new structural and biochemical constraints on the models proposed for nucleation. These have refined, but not yet resolved, the debate.

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Figure 1: Proposed structures of the γTuRC as predicted by the two models.
Figure 2: The protofilament model, as modified to illustrate nucleation by a single γ-tubulin subunit.

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Erickson, H. γ-tubulin nucleation: template or protofilament?. Nat Cell Biol 2, E93–E95 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35014084

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