Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 23, 2026
10:27
Spatio-Temporal Manipulation of Small GTPase Activity at Subcellular Level and on Timescale of Seconds in Living Cells
Published on: March 9, 2012
11.3K
Developmentally Regulated GTP binding protein 1 (DRG1) controls microtubule dynamics
Anna Katharina Schellhaus1,2, Daniel Moreno-Andrés1,2, Mayank Chugh3
1Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Spemannstraße 39, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Scientific Reports
|September 1, 2017
Summary
Developmentally regulated GTP binding protein 1 (DRG1) binds microtubules and aids their function in cell division. Reduced DRG1 levels delay cell cycle progression by slowing spindle formation.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Cytoskeleton Dynamics
Background:
- The mitotic spindle, crucial for cell division, comprises dynamic microtubules.
- Microtubule dynamics are modulated by microtubule-associated proteins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize novel microtubule-associated proteins.
- To investigate the role of Developmentally regulated GTP binding protein 1 (DRG1) in microtubule function and cell division.
Main Methods:
- In vitro biochemical assays to assess DRG1's interaction with microtubules.
- Cellular studies using HeLa cells with reduced DRG1 levels to observe effects on mitosis.
- Analysis of DRG1's domains for functional contribution.
Main Results:
- DRG1 is identified as a microtubule-binding protein.
- In vitro, DRG1 promotes microtubule polymerization, bundling, and stabilization.
- Depletion of DRG1 in HeLa cells leads to delayed mitotic progression due to impaired spindle formation.
- DRG1's functions do not require GTP hydrolysis, but all domains are essential.
Conclusions:
- DRG1 plays a significant role in regulating microtubule dynamics and mitotic spindle assembly.
- DRG1 is a novel microtubule-associated protein essential for efficient cell division.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:17Microtubule Instability
6.3K
Microtubules are hollow cylindrical filaments having a diameter of approximately 25 nm and a length that varies from 200 nm to 25 μm. GTP-bound tubulin subunits form αβ-heterodimers for microtubule assembly. These core building blocks interact longitudinally, polymerizing into protofilaments. The protofilaments then interact with one another through lateral bonding forces to form stable cylindrical microtubules. These cylindrical filaments are dynamic as they undergo repeated...
6.3K
02:14GTPases and their Regulation
10.0K
Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins), also known as GTPases, are a superfamily of proteins that regulate many cellular processes, such as cell signaling, vesicular transport, and the regulation of cell shape and motility. Mutation or dysfunction of these proteins can lead to disease. There are around 40,000 known G-proteins that can broadly be classified into two groups ‒ small G-proteins consisting of a single domain and large multi-domain G-proteins.
Large G-proteins,...
Large G-proteins,...
10.0K
02:14GTPases and their Regulation
3.1K
3.1K
01:42Microtubule Associated Proteins (MAPs)
6.0K
Microtubule function and architecture are regulated by an array of specialized proteins called microtubule-associated proteins or MAPs. These proteins are widespread across different organisms and have conserved protein motifs, like the multi-TOG domain for tubulin binding found in the CLASP family of MAPs. Some MAPs are lineage-specific based on their conserved domains. Their functions depend upon the cytoskeletal architecture and cell type they are located within. In-plant cells, a specific...
6.0K
01:45Destabilization of Microtubules
3.7K
The destabilization of microtubules can occur during different stages of the microtubule lifecycle, such as nucleation or elongation. It can take place at either end of the microtubule or in the microtubule lattices as a whole. The lifespan of individual microtubules within a cell varies according to the cell type and stage of the cell cycle. During interphase, the lifespan of the microtubule is about 30 minutes, while during cell division, it is about 15 minutes. In axonal microtubules of...
3.7K
01:22Activation and Inactivation of G Proteins
11.8K
Heterotrimeric G proteins are guanine nucleotide-binding proteins. As the name suggests, heterotrimeric G proteins are composed of three subunits: alpha, beta, and gamma. They remain GDP-bound or GTP-bound inside the cells and switch between inactive/active states. The Gα subunit possesses the nucleotide-binding pocket that binds guanine nucleotides and switches between GDP or GTP-bound states. In contrast, the Gꞵ and Gγ subunits are always bound together with high...
11.8K