Cutting, Amplifying, and Aligning Microtubules with Severing Enzymes.

Trends Cell Biol

Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA. Electronic address:

Published: January 2021

Microtubule-severing enzymes - katanin, spastin, fidgetin - are related AAA-ATPases that cut microtubules into shorter filaments. These proteins, also called severases, are involved in a wide range of cellular processes including cell division, neuronal development, and tissue morphogenesis. Paradoxically, severases can amplify the microtubule cytoskeleton and not just destroy it. Recent work on spastin and katanin has partially resolved this paradox by showing that these enzymes are strong promoters of microtubule growth. Here, we review recent structural and biophysical advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of severing and growth promotion that provide insight into how severing enzymes shape microtubule networks.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7749064PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tcb.2020.10.004DOI Listing

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