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Vol. 19, Issue 1, 368-377, January 2008

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Distinct Dgrip84 Isoforms Correlate with Distinct -Tubulins in Drosophila

Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706

Submitted August 19, 2007; Revised October 25, 2007; Accepted November 2, 2007
Monitoring Editor: Sandra Schmid

-Tubulin is an indispensable component of the animal centrosome and is required for proper microtubule organization. Within the cell, -tubulin exists in a multiprotein complex containing between two (some yeasts) and six or more (metazoa) additional highly conserved proteins named gamma ring proteins (Grips) or gamma complex proteins (GCPs). -Tubulin containing complexes isolated from Xenopus eggs or Drosophila embryos appear ring-shaped and have therefore been named the -tubulin ring complex (TuRC). Curiously, many organisms (including humans) have two distinct -tubulin genes. In Drosophila, where the two -tubulin isotypes have been studied most extensively, the -tubulin genes are developmentally regulated: the "maternal" -tubulin isotype (named Tub37CD according to its location on the genetic map) is expressed in the ovary and is deposited in the egg, where it is thought to orchestrate the meiotic and early embryonic cleavages. The second -tubulin isotype (Tub23C) is ubiquitously expressed and persists in most of the cells of the adult fly. In those rare cases where both -tubulins coexist in the same cell, they show distinct subcellular distributions and cell-cycle-dependent changes: Tub37CD mainly localizes to the centrosome, where its levels vary only slightly with the cell cycle. In contrast, the level of Tub23C at the centrosome increases at the beginning of mitosis, and Tub23C also associates with spindle pole microtubules. Here, we show that Tub23C forms discrete complexes that closely resemble the complexes formed by Tub37CD. Surprisingly, however, Tub23C associates with a distinct, longer splice variant of Dgrip84. This may reflect a role for Dgrip84 in regulating the activity and/or the location of the -tubulin complexes formed with Tub37CD and Tub23C.

Address correspondence to: Christiane Wiese (wiese{at}biochem.wisc.edu)

Abbreviations used: tub, -tubulin; TuRC, -tubulin ring complex; TuSC, -tubulin small complex; MT, microtubule.

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