Actin-Tubulin Protein-Protein Interaction

The actin-tubulin protein-protein interaction refers to the physical and functional interplay between actin filaments (microfilaments) and tubulin polymers (microtubules), which are the two principal components of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. These interactions are crucial for maintaining cell shape, enabling intracellular transport, facilitating cell division, and coordinating cellular responses to mechanical stress. Actin and tubulin do not typically form direct stable complexes but interact through a network of crosslinking proteins and regulatory factors. The crosstalk between these systems is mediated by various proteins such as tau, profilin, microtubule-associated proteins (+TIPs), and others that can bind both actin filaments (F-actin) and microtubules. These interactions allow for coordinated regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics during processes like migration, mitosis, vesicle trafficking, and morphogenesis. Recent studies show that in living cells, filamentous actin forms an elastic meshwork that encloses individual microtubules. Both networks respond together as an integrated continuum under mechanical load.