Effects of ultraviolet light on the in vitro assembly of microtubules

Abstract

Exposure of microtubular protein [from calf brain] to UV light inhibits its assembly into morphologically normal microtubules. This effect appeared to result primarily from damage to the tubulin dimers. The damage consisted of a conformational change, a loss of 2 free sulfhydryl groups, a production of higher MW cross-linked species, and the formation of aggregated amorphous material on polymerization.