Microtubule‐associated motility in cytoplasmic extracts of sea urchin eggs

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Abstract
We have developed a method for producing sea urchin egg cytoplasmic extracts which support substantial microtubule‐associated motility, particularly minus end‐directed motility characteristic of cytoplasmic dynein. Particles translocated along microtubules and axonemes predominantly in the minus end direction; microtubules and axonemes glided across the coverslip surface only in the plus end direction (as expected for a minus‐end directed motor bound to the coverslip surface); and microtubules crosslinked into bundles in an antiparallel orientation. Velocities of particle and microtubule translocation were in the range of 0.5–1.8 μm/sec. Vanadate at 10 μM inhibited all gliding of the microtubules and axonemes, yet bidirectional particle transport persisted. Vanadate at concentrations of 25 μM and higher inhibited nearly all microtubule‐based motility in the preparation and produced parallel bundling of the microtubules. Motility was slowed but not stopped in the presence of 5 mM AMP‐PNP. Usually when a particle bound to a microtubule wall, it moved to the microtubule minus end. These particles often remained attached to the minus end. When a microtubule plus end in the shortening phase of dynamic instability reached a stationary particle on the microtubule, sometimes normal minus enddirected motility was activated, or at other times the particle remained attached to the shortening plus end.