Plant tubulin genes: Structure and differential expression during development

Three alpha-tubulins and two beta-tubulins have been resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of whole cell lysates of Physarum myxamoebae or plasmodia. Criteria used to identify the tubulins included migration on two-dimensional gels with myxamoebal tubulins purified by self-assembly into microtubules in vitro, peptide mapping with Staphylococcus V8 protease and with chymotrypsin, immunoprecipitation with a monoclonal antibody specific for beta-tubulin, and, finally, hybrid selection of specific mRNA by cloned tubulin DNA sequences, followed by translation in vitro. Differential expression of the Physarum tubulins was observed. The alpha 1- and beta 1-tubulins were detected in both myxamoebae and plasmodia; alpha 2 and beta 2 were detected only in plasmodia, alpha 3 was detected only in the myxamoebal phase, and may be specific to the flagellate. Observation of more tubulin species in plasmodia than in myxamoebae was remarkable; the only microtubules detected in plasmodia are those of the mitotoic spindle, whereas myxamoebae display cytoplasmic, centriolar, flagellar, and mitotic-spindle microtubules. In vitro translation of myxamoebal and plasmodial RNAs indicated that there are distinct mRNAs, and therefore probably separate genes, for the alpha 1-, alpha 2-, beta 1-, and beta 2-tubulins. Thus, the different patterns of tubulin expression in myxamoebae and plasmodia reflect differential expression of tubulin genes.

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Differential expression of two winter wheat alpha-tubulin genes during cold acclimation

Cell Biology International ◽

10.1016/j.cellbi.2007.11.014 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 32 (5) ◽

pp. 574-578 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

N CHRISTOV ◽

R IMAI ◽

Y BLUME

Keyword(s):

Winter Wheat ◽

Cold Acclimation ◽

Differential Expression ◽

Alpha Tubulin ◽

Tubulin Genes

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Plant Tubulin Genes: Regulatory and Evolutionary Aspects

Plant Microtubules - Plant Cell Monographs ◽

10.1007/7089_2007_160 ◽

2008 ◽

pp. 207-232 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Diego Breviario

Keyword(s):

Tubulin Genes ◽

Evolutionary Aspects ◽

Plant Tubulin

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Tubulin mRNA stability is sensitive to change in microtubule dynamics caused by multiple physiological and toxic cues

10.1101/533224 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Ivana Gasic ◽

Sarah A. Boswell ◽

Timothy J. Mitchison

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Differential Expression ◽

Mrna Stability ◽

Microtubule Dynamics ◽

Physiological Signal ◽

Tubulin Genes ◽

Biological Responses ◽

Genes Encoding ◽

Exon Versus ◽

Tubulin Mrna

AbstractThe localization, mass, and dynamics of microtubules are important in many processes. Cells may actively monitor the state of their microtubules and respond to perturbation, but how this occurs outside mitosis is poorly understood. We used gene expression analysis in quiescent cells to analyze responses to subtle and strong perturbation of microtubules. Genes encoding α-, β, and γ-tubulins, but not δ- or ε-tubulins, exhibited the strongest differential expression response to microtubule-stabilizing versus destabilizing drugs. Q-PCR of exon versus intron sequences confirmed that these changes were caused by regulation of tubulin mRNA stability and not transcription. Using tubulin mRNA stability as a signature to query the GEO database, we find that tubulin genes respond to toxins known to damage microtubules. Importantly, we find many other experimental perturbations, including multiple signaling and metabolic inputs that trigger tubulin differential expression, suggesting their novel role in the regulation of microtubule cytoskeleton. Mechanistic follow up confirms that one important physiological signal, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K) activity, indeed regulates tubulin mRNA stability via changes in microtubule dynamics. We propose that that tubulin gene expression is regulated as part of many coordinated biological responses, with wide implications in physiology and toxicology. Furthermore, we present a new way to discover microtubule regulation using genomics.

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GENETIC ANALYSIS OF RESISTANCE TO BENZIMIDAZOLES IN PHYSARUM: DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION OF β-TUBULIN GENES

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/108.1.123 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 108 (1) ◽

pp. 123-141

Author(s):

Timothy G Burland ◽

Tim Schedl ◽

Keith Gull ◽

William F Dove

Keyword(s):

Genetic Analysis ◽

Differential Expression ◽

Electrophoretic Mobility ◽

Structural Gene ◽

Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Vegetative Cell ◽

Cell Types ◽

Wild Type ◽

Tubulin Genes ◽

Β Tubulin

ABSTRACT Physarum displays two vegetative cell types, uninucleate myxamoebae and multinucleate plasmodia. Mutant myxamoebae of Physarum resistant to the antitubulin drug methylbenzimidazole-2-yl-carbamate (MBC) were isolated. All mutants tested were cross-resistant to other benzimidazoles but not to cycloheximide or emetine. Genetic analysis showed that mutation to MBC resistance can occur at any one of four unlinked loci, benA, benB, benC or benD. MBC resistance of benB and benD mutants was expressed in plasmodia, but benA and benC mutant plasmodia were MBC sensitive, suggesting that benA and benC encode myxamoeba-specific products. Myxamoebae carrying the recessive benD210 mutation express a β-tubulin with noval electrophoretic mobility, in addition to a β-tubulin with wild-type mobility. This and other evidence indicates that benD is a structural gene for β-tubulin, and that at least two β-tubulin genes are expressed in myxamoebae. Comparisons of the β-tubulins of wildtype and benD210 strains by gel electrophoresis revealed that, of the three (or more) β-tubulin genes expressed in Physarum, one, benD, is expressed in both myxamoebae and plasmodia, one is expressed specifically in myxamoebae and one is expressed specifically in plasmodia. However, mutation in only one gene, benD, is sufficient to confer MBC resistance on both myxamoebae and plasmodia.

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