Role of microtubules in the distribution of the Golgi apparatus: effect of taxol and microinjected anti-alpha-tubulin antibodies.

Immunofluorescence microscopy reveals that both microtubule organizing center (MTOC) and Golgi apparatus are contained in the same perinuclear area of A549 cells in interphase. The cells display long microtubules stretching radially from the MTOC to the plasma membrane. Treatment of cells with taxol results in polymerization of microtubules without relation to the MTOC and formation of microtubule bundles predominantly localized in the cell periphery. After incubation with taxol, the Golgi apparatus is fragmented and is conspicuously present in areas of the cytoplasm enriched in microtubules. Incubation of cells with Colcemid results in complete depolymerization of microtubules and fragmentation of the Golgi into elements randomly distributed throughout the cytoplasm. Cells treated with taxol before being incubated with Colcemid contain large numbers of Golgi-derived elements in close association with Colcemid-resistant microtubules. Microtubule depolymerization by vinblastine also is followed by fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus. These Golgi-derived elements show no association with the atypical polymers of tubulin induced by vinblastine. The codistribution of Golgi-derived elements with taxol-induced microtubule bundles can be reversed by microinjection of a monoclonal (YL 1/2) antibody reacting specifically with the tyrosylated form of alpha-tubulin.