Cytoplasmic dynein is a microtubule-based motor protein responsible for vesicle movement and spindle orientation in eukaryotic cells. We show here that dynein also supports microtubule architecture and determines centrosome position in interphase cells. Overexpression of the motor domain in Dictyostelium leads to a collapse of the interphase microtubule array, forming loose bundles that often e...

gamma-Tubulin is a centrosomal component involved in microtubule nucleation. To determine how this molecule behaves during the cell cycle, we have established several vertebrate somatic cell lines that constitutively express a gamma-tubulin/green fluorescent protein fusion protein. Near simultaneous fluorescence and DIC light microscopy reveals that the amount of gamma-tubulin associated with t...

As cells transition from interphase to mitosis, the microtubule cytoskeleton is reorganized to form the mitotic spindle. In the closed mitosis of fission yeast, a microtubule-associated protein complex, Alp7-Alp14 (transforming acidic coiled-coil-tumor overexpressed gene), enters the nucleus upon mitotic entry and promotes spindle formation. However, how the complex is controlled to accumulate ...

Mitotic centromere-associated kinesin (MCAK) is a microtubule-depolymerizing kinesin-13 member that can track with polymerizing microtubule tips (hereafter referred to as tip tracking) during both interphase and mitosis. MCAK tracks with microtubule tips by binding to end-binding proteins (EBs) through the microtubule tip localization signal SKIP, which lies N terminal to MCAK's neck and motor ...

The massive reorganization of microtubule network involves in transcriptional regulation of several genes by controlling transcriptional factor, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activity. The exact molecular mechanism by which microtubule rearrangement leads to NF-κB activation largely remains to be identified. However microtubule disrupting agents may possibly act in synergy or antagonism agains...

Anchoring microtubules to the centrosome is critical for cell geometry and polarity, yet the molecular mechanism remains unknown. Here we show that the conserved human Msd1/SSX2IP is required for microtubule anchoring. hMsd1/SSX2IP is delivered to the centrosome in a centriolar satellite-dependent manner and binds the microtubule-nucleator γ-tubulin complex. hMsd1/SSX2IP depletion leads to diso...

Microtubule-targeted drugs such as paclitaxel exhibit potent antiangiogenic activity at very low concentrations, but the mechanism underlying such an effect remains unknown. To understand the involvement of microtubules in angiogenesis, we analyzed the dynamic instability behavior of microtubules in living endothelial cells [human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) and human umbilical vas...

My previous work has shown that disconnecting the oral apparatus of Stentor into two parts induces mass assembly of basal bodies on the ventral cell surface and thus initiates oral development. This operation severs the extensive microtubule tracts joining the oral membranelles at their bases. To determine whether basal body assembly and oral development are also induced by permanently disconne...