Synchrotron X-ray diffraction study of microtubules buckling and bundling under osmotic stress: A probe of interprotofilament interactions

Daniel J. Needleman*, Miguel A. Ojeda-Lopez, Uri Raviv, Kai Ewert, Jayna B. Jones, Herbert P. Miller, Leslie Wilson, Cyrus R. Safinya

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

105 Scopus citations

Abstract

A synchrotron small angle x-ray diffraction (SAXRD) study of microtubule (MT), subjected to osmotic stress and depletion attraction due to added poly-(ethylene-oxide) (PEO) was discussed. It was found that the solutions of MT undergo two transitions. SAXRD of microtubules shows the transition to rectangular bundles with noncircular buckled cross sections, followed by hexagonally packed bundles, under increasing osmotic stress. The new technique probes the strength of interprotofilament bonds, by which the chemotherapy drug taxol and associated proteins stabilize microtubules.

Original languageEnglish
Article number198104
Pages (from-to)198104-1-198104-4
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume93
Issue number19
DOIs
StatePublished - 5 Nov 2004
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We acknowledge insightful discussions with Bob McMeeking and Robijn Bruinsma. Supported by NIH GM-59288 and NS-13560, NSF DMR-0203755, CTS-0103516, and CTS-0404444. DOE supports SSRL. NSF-DMR-0080034 supports the UCSB MRL.

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