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Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Preparation of Segmented Microtubules to Study Motions Driven by the Disassembling Microtubule Ends
Published on: March 15, 2014
[Microtubule severing proteins - structure and activity regulation]
1Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Department of Cell Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw; 3 Pasteur St., 02-093 Warsaw, Poland.
Abstract:
Microtubule severing proteins, katanin, spastin and fidgetin cause local destabilization of the microtubules structure. This ATP-dependent activity leads to the shortening or disassembly of the existing microtubules. The generated short microtubule fragments may serve as templates to polymerize new microtubules and in consequence, the activity of the microtubule severing proteins leads to the reorganization of the microtubular cytoskeleton. This review summarizes current knowledge concerning structural organization of the microtubule severing proteins, the molecular mechanism of their action, factors that regulate the level of the katanin and spastin within the cells and their microtubule severing activity.
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