Research in Brief: The What, Why, and How

In this edition:

Research from the Coyle Lab in the Department of Biochemistry opens possibilities for directing the organization of microtubules, which are needed to build and repair cellular structures. Here’s the run down on their latest research, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry:

  • Microtubules aggregate to form organelles that help to maintain cells’ structure and function.
  • Instability in microtubule structures are associated with neurodegenerative disorders. The ability to build and repair microtubule structures may open the door for novel therapies.
  • Researchers in the Coyle Lab developed a method to link together microtubules, creating new possibilities to engineer and repair these important organelles.

What background information do you need to know?

Cells maintain their structure, as well as many key functions, thanks to proteins that assemble to build organelles called microtubules. Dozens or even thousands of microtubules together can form larger structures within the cell, such as cilia used to propel cells, mitotic spindles responsible for pulling apart chromosomes during cell division, and structural support within dendrites (cells at the ends of neurons).

Scientists can construct individual microtubules in vitro, but coaxing them to fit together and form larger structures has been an unsolved puzzle.

Why do scientists want to build and assemble microtubules?

The answer to this question is twofold: remediating existing cellular functions and creating new functions.

Our cells’ microtubule structures are crucial for healthy function of our brains and bodies. Stability of these structures is thought to be related to neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Knowing how to build microtubule structures to form may open the door for new therapies.

How have scientists made progress?

Bright green and red shapes on a black background representing a diverse range of synthetic microtubule-bundled structures in cells.
Researchers in the Coyle Lab engineered a diverse range of synthetic microtubule-bundled structures in cells.

Researchers in the Coyle Lab constructed microtubule structures in cells. The scientists linked a small protein domain that binds to microtubules with larger protein sequences that aggregate to form drops of liquid inside a cell. When these larger protein sequences, known as intrinsically disordered sequences, form drops while connected to a microtubule, the drops act as a glue to coat the microtubule. The researchers liken the process to coating a pretzel stick with melted chocolate: while the chocolate is still wet, you can stick the pretzels together and create a structure that will remain stable when the chocolate solidifies.

Future research will focus on building microtubule assemblies in cells at specific locations and times in the cell cycle.

Written by Renata Solan.


In Research In Brief: The What, Why, and How, we explore new research from the UW–Madison Department of Biochemistry to learn more about the world around us — and inside us.
This edition of Research in Brief: The What, Why, and How is based on the following publication:
Chang and Coyle. Regulatable assembly of synthetic microtubule architectures using engineered microtubule-associated protein-IDR condensates. Journal of Biological Chemistry, Aug. 2024, 300(8):107544.
This research was funded in part by startup funds from the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Biochemistry and a David and Lucille Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering.