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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays
Published on: October 8, 2015
G protein control of microtubule assembly
1Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution of Washington and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, MD 21210, USA. zheng@ciwemb.edu
Abstract:
Microtubules are dynamic polymers required for many aspects of eukaryotic cell function. The interphase microtubule network is essential for intracellular transport, organization, and cell polarization, whereas the mitotic spindle is required for chromosome segregation and cell division. Studies in different areas such as cell migration, mitosis, and asymmetric cell division have shown that Ran, Rho, and heterotrimeric G proteins regulate many aspects of microtubule functions. This review surveys how G protein-signaling coordinates microtubule polymerization and organization with specific cellular activities.
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