López-Colomé A M, Casas A
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1984 Aug 16;122(3):925-31. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(84)91179-3.
The effect of kainate, an heterocyclic analogue of glutamate on tubulin polymerization was studied. We demonstrate that kainate induces a dose-dependent aggregation of rat brain tubulin either purified by DEAE-Sephadex A-50 or in the presence of MAPs into a mesh-like structure. Such polymer is cold-, CaCl2- and colchicine-insensitive. Removal of kainate from the incubation medium yields free tubulin competent for polymerizing into normal microtubules in the presence of GTP.
