Controlling microtubule functions with the tubulin code

Date

Nov 20, 2017

Time

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Speaker

Carsten Janke

Affiliation

Dept. Genotoxic Stress and Cancer, Institut Curie, Orsay, France

Language

en

Main Topic

Biologie

Other Topics

Biologie

Host

Gaia Pigino

Description

The tubulin code is a signalling mechanism that, by altering the identity of single tubulin units of microtubules, controls and fine-tunes microtubule functions in cells. The code is generated by the expression of alternative tubulin genes, called ‘isotypes’, and by the generation of a range of complex posttranslational modifications. Polyglutamylation, polyglycylation and detyrosination are modifications localized at the outer surface of microtubules, and are therefore likely to regulate the interactions with microtubule-associated proteins. Enzymes that catalyse those modifications are members of an evolutionary conserved family of tubulin tyrosine ligase like proteins (TTLL), whereas reverse enzymes (until present only deglutamylases have been identified) are members of the cytosolic carboxy peptidase family (CCP). I will present our current work in mouse models for polyglutamylation and glycylation. We demonstrate an important role of polyglutamylation in neurodegeneration, which is most likely mediated by alterations of neuronal transport. Glycylation plays a key role in stabilizing cilia and flagella, and is also important for primary cilia. Moreover, both polyglutamylation and polyglycylation play a key role in male fertility. Our current results show that the tubulin code is a fine-tuning mechanism of microtubule functions with key roles in a range of physiological functions.

Last modified: Nov 21, 2017, 9:03:40 AM