Zhang, D., Grode, K.D., Stewman, S.F., Diaz-Valencia, J.D., Liebling, E., Rath, U., Riera, T., Currie, J.D., Buster, D.W., Asenjo, A.B., Sosa, H.J., Ross, J.L., Ma, A., Rogers, S.L., Sharp, D.J. (2011). Drosophila katanin is a microtubule depolymerase that regulates cortical-microtubule plus-end interactions and cell migration.  Nat. Cell Biol. 13(4): 361--369.

FBrf0213357

Research paper

Regulation of microtubule dynamics at the cell cortex is important for cell motility, morphogenesis and division. Here we show that the Drosophila katanin Dm-Kat60 functions to generate a dynamic cortical-microtubule interface in interphase cells. Dm-Kat60 concentrates at the cell cortex of S2 Drosophila cells during interphase, where it suppresses the polymerization of microtubule plus-ends, thereby preventing the formation of aberrantly dense cortical arrays. Dm-Kat60 also localizes at the leading edge of migratory D17 Drosophila cells and negatively regulates multiple parameters of their motility. Finally, in vitro, Dm-Kat60 severs and depolymerizes microtubules from their ends. On the basis of these data, we propose that Dm-Kat60 removes tubulin from microtubule lattice or microtubule ends that contact specific cortical sites to prevent stable and/or lateral attachments. The asymmetric distribution of such an activity could help generate regional variations in microtubule behaviours involved in cell migration.

PMC3144748 (PMC) (EuropePMC)