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- Title
CRMP-2 binds to tubulin heterodimers to promote microtubule assembly.
- Authors
Fukata, Yuko; Itoh, Tomohiko J; Kimura, Toshihide; Ménager, Céline; Nishimura, Takashi; Shiromizu, Takashi; Watanabe, Hiroyasu; Inagaki, Naoyuki; Iwamatsu, Akihiro; Hotani, Hirokazu; Kaibuchi, Kozo
- Abstract
Regulated increase in the formation of microtubule arrays is thought to be important for axonal growth. Collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP-2) is a mammalian homologue of UNC-33, mutations in which result in abnormal axon termination. We recently demonstrated that CRMP-2 is critical for axonal differentiation. Here, we identify two activities of CRMP-2: tubulin-heterodimer binding and the promotion of microtubule assembly. CRMP-2 bound tubulin dimers with higher affinity than it bound microtubules. Association of CRMP-2 with microtubules was enhanced by tubulin polymerization in the presence of CRMP-2. The binding property of CRMP-2 with tubulin was apparently distinct from that of Tau, which preferentially bound microtubules. In neurons, overexpression of CRMP-2 promoted axonal growth and branching. A mutant of CRMP-2, lacking the region responsible for microtubule assembly, inhibited axonal growth and branching in a dominant-negative manner. Taken together, our results suggest that CRMP-2 regulates axonal growth and branching as a partner of the tubulin heterodimer, in a different fashion from traditional MAPs.
- Publication
Nature cell biology, 2002, Vol 4, Issue 8, p583
- ISSN
1465-7392
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1038/ncb825