1. γ-TuRC asymmetry induces local protofilament mismatch at the RanGTP-stimulated microtubule minus end.
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Vermeulen, Bram JA, Böhler, Anna, Gao, Qi, Neuner, Annett, Župa, Erik, Chu, Zhenzhen, Würtz, Martin, Jäkle, Ursula, Gruss, Oliver J, Pfeffer, Stefan, and Schiebel, Elmar
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MICROTUBULES , *TUBULINS , *XENOPUS eggs , *XENOPUS laevis , *CARRIER proteins , *PROTEIN binding - Abstract
The γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) is a structural template for de novo microtubule assembly from α/β-tubulin units. The isolated vertebrate γ-TuRC assumes an asymmetric, open structure deviating from microtubule geometry, suggesting that γ-TuRC closure may underlie regulation of microtubule nucleation. Here, we isolate native γ-TuRC-capped microtubules from Xenopus laevis egg extract nucleated through the RanGTP-induced pathway for spindle assembly and determine their cryo-EM structure. Intriguingly, the microtubule minus end-bound γ-TuRC is only partially closed and consequently, the emanating microtubule is locally misaligned with the γ-TuRC and asymmetric. In the partially closed conformation of the γ-TuRC, the actin-containing lumenal bridge is locally destabilised, suggesting lumenal bridge modulation in microtubule nucleation. The microtubule-binding protein CAMSAP2 specifically binds the minus end of γ-TuRC-capped microtubules, indicating that the asymmetric minus end structure may underlie recruitment of microtubule-modulating factors for γ-TuRC release. Collectively, we reveal a surprisingly asymmetric microtubule minus end protofilament organisation diverging from the regular microtubule structure, with direct implications for the kinetics and regulation of nucleation and subsequent modulation of microtubules during spindle assembly. Synopsis: The universal microtubule nucleator γ-TuRC assumes a microtubule-incompatible open conformation prior to nucleation. This work finds it transitioning to a partially closed conformation, with local misalignments to the nucleated microtubule in the native RanGTP-dependent nucleation pathway. Cryo-EM analysis describes the structure of the γ-TuRC-capped microtubule minus end natively nucleated through the RanGTP pathway in Xenopus laevis egg extracts. The γ-TuRC conformation approaches but does not reach microtubule lattice symmetry after microtubule nucleation. The associated microtubule minus end is asymmetric and some of its protofilaments are misaligned with the partially closed γ-TuRC. The architecture of the γ-TuRC and the attached microtubule facilitates selective binding of microtubule-modulating protein CAMSAP2 at the γ-TuRC-capped microtubule minus end. Cryo-EM analysis of native γ-TuRC-capped microtubules from frog egg extracts shows a transition from an open to a partly closed conformation with local misalignments between nucleator and nucleated microtubule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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