Identification of a 48‐kDa prenylated protein that associates with microtubules as 2′,3′‐cyclic nucleotide 3′‐phosphodiesterase in FRTL‐5 cells

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Abstract
In an effort to study the nature of tubulin attachment to membranes, we have previously observed that after blocking prenylation in FRTL‐5 thyroid cells, the microtubules become disconnected from the plasma membrane region [Bifulco M. et al. (1983) J. Cell. Physiol. 155, 340–348]. In this study we show that several [3H]mevalonate labeled proteins in FRTL‐5 cells associate with membrane and cytoskeleton and, among these, we describe the presence of a 48‐kDa prenylated protein, identified by immunoprecipitation as 2′,3′‐cyclic nucleotide 3′‐phosphodiesterase (CNP), that associates with microtubules. This latter association persists through several polymerization/depolymerization cycles, whereas other prenylated proteins are lost. It is suggested that CNP can be a novel microtubule‐associated protein (MAP) and a promising candidate as a membrane anchor for microtubules.