| Non-Scientific
Abstract Tubulins are essential proteins that help
mediate many important biomechanical processes inside the cell. They are
responsible for vital cellular processes such as segregation of
chromosomes during cell division and translocation of the nucleus.
Tubulins are made up of heterodimeric protein complexes that bind to
form tube-like structures inside the cells. These structures are very
dynamic in nature and the association and disassociation of these
tube-like structures provide the mechanical force necessary for carrying
out their functions inside cells.Mutations that produce defect in the
mechanics of these structures can prove lethal to cells often bringing
cell division to a complete halt. This investigation focuses on finding
genes that could rescue cells carrying a temperature sensitive lethal
mutation in a component of the microtubule.
Abstract The €-tubulin mutant tub1-724 has a very
strong cold-sensitive phenotype in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These
mutants grow at a rate similar to wild-type strain at 30°C, but at 18°C
the cells arrest with loss of microtubule structure. Through
transposon-mediated mutagenesis we have found that mutation in either
SWE1 orYPT6 gene may rescue the tub1-724 strain at the non-permissive
temperature. SWE1 is a known tyrosine kinase and may take part in
phosphorylation of residue(s) in the Tub4p €-tubulin protein. YPT6 is a
Ras-like GTP binding protein that shows similarity to the human GTPase,
Rab6.
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