Developmental Cell
Volume 54, Issue 1, 6 July 2020, Pages 7-20
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Review
The Tubulin Code in Microtubule Dynamics and Information Encoding

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Microtubules are non-covalent mesoscale polymers central to the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. Microtubule structure, dynamics, and mechanics are modulated by a cell’s choice of tubulin isoforms and post-translational modifications, a “tubulin code,” which is thought to support the diverse morphology and dynamics of microtubule arrays across various cell types, cell cycle, and developmental stages. We give a brief historical overview of research into tubulin diversity and highlight recent progress toward uncovering the mechanistic underpinnings of the tubulin code. As a large number of essential pathways converge upon the microtubule cytoskeleton, understanding how cells utilize tubulin diversity is crucial to understanding cellular physiology and disease.

Keywords

tubulin code
microtubule
tubulin isoforms
tubulin post-translational modifications
tubulin tyrosine ligase
TTLL
CCP
motors
microtubule associated proteins
severing
kinesin
dynein
glutamylation
glycylation
tyrosination
detyrosination

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