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Microtubule-Associated Proteins

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Encyclopedia of Cancer

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Synonyms

MAPs; Microtubule-binding proteins; Microtubule-stabilizing/microtubule-destabilizing proteins; Tubulin-interacting proteins

Definition

MAPs are multifunctional proteins that bind to tubulins and alter the dynamics of their polymerization and depolymerization.

Characteristics

Microtubules are hollow cylindrical structures consisting of polymers of αβ-tubulin heterodimers. They are essential components of the cytoskeleton and play a critical role in many cellular processes including cell division, cell motility, intracellular trafficking, signal transduction, and cell shape maintenance. Dynamic instability is an important property of microtubules and is indispensable for their function. This property is evident most notably during assembly and disassembly of mitotic spindle and segregation of duplicated chromosomes in mitosis. Intracellular dynamic behavior (polymerization/depolymerization) of microtubules is affected by posttranslational modifications of tubulins as well as...

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India

    Kumar M. R. Bhat & Vijayasaradhi Setaluri

Authors
  1. Kumar M. R. Bhat
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  2. Vijayasaradhi Setaluri
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kumar M. R. Bhat .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Abt. Tumorgenetik, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany

    Manfred Schwab

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Bhat, K.M.R., Setaluri, V. (2014). Microtubule-Associated Proteins. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_3735-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_3735-5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27841-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences

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