Tubulin in molecular biology can refer either to the tubulin protein superfamily of globular proteins, or one of the member proteins of that superfamily. α- and β-tubulins polymerize into microtubules, a major component of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. Microtubules function in many essential cellular processes, including mitosis. Tubulin-binding drugs kill cancerous cells by inhibiting microtubule dynamics, which are required for DNA segregation and therefore cell division. In eukaryotes, there are six members of the tubulin superfamily, although not all are present in all species. Both α and β tubulins have a mass of around 50 kDa and are thus in a similar range compared to actin (with a mass of ~42 kDa). In contrast, tubulin polymers (microtubules) tend to be much bigger than actin filaments due to their cylindrical nature. Tubulin was long thought to be specific to eukaryotes. More recently, however, several prokaryotic proteins have been shown to be related to tubulin.
Background References
1. Tantry MSA et al. Insights on the Role of alpha- and beta-Tubulin Isotypes in Early Brain Development. Mol Neurobiol. 2023 Jul
2. Nicot S et al. A family of carboxypeptidases catalyzing alpha- and beta-tubulin tail processing and deglutamylation. Sci Adv. 2023 Sep
Sequence Similarity
Belongs to the tubulin family.
Tissue Specificity
Ubiquitously expressed with highest levels in spleen, thymus and immature brain.
Post-translational Modification
Some glutamate residues at the C-terminus are polyglutamylated, resulting in polyglutamate chains on the gamma-carboxyl group. Polyglutamylation plays a key role in microtubule severing by spastin (SPAST). SPAST preferentially recognizes and acts on microtubules decorated with short polyglutamate tails: severing activity by SPAST increases as the number of glutamates per tubulin rises from one to eight, but decreases beyond this glutamylation threshold.; Some glutamate residues at the C-terminus are monoglycylated but not polyglycylated due to the absence of functional TTLL10 in human. Monoglycylation is mainly limited to tubulin incorporated into axonemes (cilia and flagella). Both polyglutamylation and monoglycylation can coexist on the same protein on adjacent residues, and lowering glycylation levels increases polyglutamylation, and reciprocally. The precise function of monoglycylation is still unclear (Probable).; Phosphorylated on Ser-172 by CDK1 during the cell cycle, from metaphase to telophase, but not in interphase. This phosphorylation inhibits tubulin incorporation into microtubules.
Western blot analysis of beta Tubulin on different lysates with Rabbit anti-beta Tubulin antibody (HA601147) at 1/10,000 dilution.
Lane 1: HeLa (Human cervical adenocarcinoma cell) cell lysate Lane 2: HEK-293 (Human embryonic kidney cell) cell lysate Lane 3: NIH/3T3 (Mouse fibroblast) cell lysate Lane 4: RAW264.7 (Mouse monocytic macrophage leukemia cell) cell lysate Lane 5: C6 (Rat glioma cell) cell lysate Lane 6: COS-1 (African green monkey kidney fibroblast) cell lysate Lane 7: Pig brain tissue lysate
Lysates/proteins at 5 µg/Lane. Exposure time: 30 seconds; ECL: K1801
Blocking: 5% NFDM/TBST, 1 hour at room temperature Primary antibody: HA601147, 1/10,000 in primary antibody dilution buffer (K1803), overnight at 4 ℃ Secondary antibody: Goat anti-Mouse IgG-HRP (HA1006), 1/50,000 in 5% NFDM/TBST, 1 hour at room temperature
Predicted band size: 50 kDa Observed band size: 50 kDa
Immunocytochemistry analysis of HeLa cells labeling beta Tubulin with Mouse anti-beta Tubulin antibody (HA601147) at 1/100 dilution.
Cells were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde for 30 minutes, permeabilized with 0.05% Triton X-100 in PBS for 20 minutes, and then blocked with 2% negative goat serum for 30 minutes at room temperature. Cells were then incubated with Mouse anti-beta Tubulin antibody (HA601147) at 1/100 dilution in 2% negative goat serum overnight at 4 ℃. Goat Anti-Mouse IgG H&L (iFluor™ 488, HA1125) was used as the secondary antibody at 1/1,000 dilution. Nuclear DNA was labelled in blue with DAPI.
beta Tubulin (ET1602-4, red) was stained at 1/100 dilution overnight at +4℃. Goat Anti-Rabbit IgG H&L (iFluor™ 594, HA1122) were used as the secondary antibody at 1/1,000 dilution.
Immunocytochemistry analysis of NIH/3T3 cells labeling beta Tubulin with Mouse anti-beta Tubulin antibody (HA601147) at 1/100 dilution.
Cells were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde for 30 minutes, permeabilized with 0.05% Triton X-100 in PBS for 20 minutes, and then blocked with 2% negative goat serum for 30 minutes at room temperature. Cells were then incubated with Mouse anti-beta Tubulin antibody (HA601147) at 1/100 dilution in 2% negative goat serum overnight at 4 ℃. Goat Anti-Mouse IgG H&L (iFluor™ 488, HA1125) was used as the secondary antibody at 1/1,000 dilution. Nuclear DNA was labelled in blue with DAPI.
beta Tubulin (ET1602-4, red) was stained at 1/100 dilution overnight at +4℃. Goat Anti-Rabbit IgG H&L (iFluor™ 594, HA1122) were used as the secondary antibody at 1/1,000 dilution.
Immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded human spleen tissue with Mouse anti-beta Tubulin antibody (HA601147) at 1/200 dilution.
The section was pre-treated using heat mediated antigen retrieval with Tris-EDTA buffer (pH 9.0) for 20 minutes. The tissues were blocked in 1% BSA for 20 minutes at room temperature, washed with ddH2O and PBS, and then probed with the primary antibody (HA601147) at 1/200 dilution for 1 hour at room temperature. The detection was performed using an HRP conjugated compact polymer system. DAB was used as the chromogen. Tissues were counterstained with hematoxylin and mounted with DPX.
Immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded mouse brain tissue with Mouse anti-beta Tubulin antibody (HA601147) at 1/1,000 dilution.
The section was pre-treated using heat mediated antigen retrieval with Tris-EDTA buffer (pH 9.0) for 20 minutes. The tissues were blocked in 1% BSA for 20 minutes at room temperature, washed with ddH2O and PBS, and then probed with the primary antibody (HA601147) at 1/1,000 dilution for 1 hour at room temperature. The detection was performed using an HRP conjugated compact polymer system. DAB was used as the chromogen. Tissues were counterstained with hematoxylin and mounted with DPX.
Immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded rat testis tissue with Mouse anti-beta Tubulin antibody (HA601147) at 1/1,000 dilution.
The section was pre-treated using heat mediated antigen retrieval with Tris-EDTA buffer (pH 9.0) for 20 minutes. The tissues were blocked in 1% BSA for 20 minutes at room temperature, washed with ddH2O and PBS, and then probed with the primary antibody (HA601147) at 1/1,000 dilution for 1 hour at room temperature. The detection was performed using an HRP conjugated compact polymer system. DAB was used as the chromogen. Tissues were counterstained with hematoxylin and mounted with DPX.
Please note: All products are "FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY AND ARE NOT INTENDED FOR DIAGNOSTIC OR THERAPEUTIC USE"