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We studied the solubility properties of brain acetylated α-tubulin, as well as the localization of this tubulin in brain tissue. Endogenous unpolymerized tubulin and cytoskeletal tubulin were fractionated after brain Triton-solubilization. Using the immunoblotting technique, we found that acetylated α-tubulin was recovered in the cytoskeletal fraction, and that most (92%) of the acetylated microtubules of this fraction were depolymerized by cold/Ca treatment. In another set of experiments, axonal and soma-dendritic preparations were found to have equivalent amounts of acetylated α-tubulin. By immunogold electron microscopy, we established that acetylated microtubules are widely distributed in dendrites of the central nervous system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]