Disassembly and reconstitution of a membrane-microtubule complex.

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The cell membrane of the unicellular alga Distigma proteus is associated with arrays of parallel microtubules. Fragments of the membrane-microtubule complex were isolated and partially purified. The microtubules were stable in vitro at room temperature and at 0.degree. C, but were specifically and rapidly disassembled by Ca2+. After removal of all endogenous microtubules, the membrane-microtubule complex could be reassembled from [bovine] brain microtubule protein and denuded Distigma membrane fragments. The readded microtubules were bound in a fixed orientation, and only to those regions of the membrane that are normally associated with microtubules in vivo.