Antibodies to Tubulins, including Centrosome-Associated
ε-Tubulin

Microtubules of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton are composed of a heterodimer of α- and β-tubulin. In addition to α-and β-tubulin, several other tubulins have been identified, bringing the number of distinct tubulin classes to seven. Most of these tubulins have distinct subcellular localization and an emerging, diverse set of functions.¹ Out of the seven different tubulins four new members of the tubulin family were identified recently, which consist of δ, χ, η, and ε-tubulin. η and ε-tubulins were discovered by database searches.²

ε-Tubulin is located in the pericentriolar area, and its localization is modulated by cell cycle progression. During the early phase of the cell cycle, the protein associates predominantly with the old centrosome, and only later does it become associated with both the old and the new centrosomes.^2,3 Centrosomes can initiate microtubule assembly irrespective of ε-tubulin content, indicating that this protein is not involved in microtubule nucleation.³

A unique Monoclonal Antibody to ε-Tubulin, clone TUB-11 (Product No. T1323) is directed against the C-terminal region of ε-tubulin (amino acids 352-366 of human ε-tubulin) and may be used in ELISA and immunoblotting. The antibodies provide specific and useful tools for studying the intracellular distribution and cell cycle-dependent expression of ε-tubulin.

The innovative Monoclonal Anti-ε-Tubulin antibody complements our wide selection of antibodies to different tubulins, which include antibodies to α, β, and γ-tubulins, as well as antibodies to modified tubulins, such as acetylated-tubulin, tyrosine-tubulin and polyglutamylated tubulin.

Figure 1. Immunoblotting with Monoclonal Anti-e-Tubulin, clone Tub-11

Product Table

References

1. Dutcher, S.K., et al. Curr. Opin. Cell Biol., 13, 49-54 (2001).
2. McKean, P.G., et al. J. Cell Sci., 114, 2723-2733 (2001).
3. Chang, P., Stearns, T. Nature Cell Biol., 2, 30-35 (2000).

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