Microtubule assembly in the absence of added nucleotides

Microtubule assembly is enhanced by the addition of 1 M sucrose or 4 M glycerol to the reassembly mixture. Tubulin can be purified from guinea pig brain readily and in good yield by two cycles of assembly in glycerol-containing solutions. The tubules assembled in glycerol and sucrose are more stable than tubules formed in the absence of these compounds. Assembly occurs in glycerol or sucrose in the absence of ATP or GTP, but is greatly accelarated by their presence.