Tubulin (microtubule function protein)

The term "Microtubule function protein" is not a canonical name for a single molecular target but refers broadly to the proteins that constitute or regulate microtubules. The primary structural proteins are **alpha-tubulin** and **beta-tubulin**, which form heterodimers that polymerize into protofilaments; thirteen protofilaments assemble laterally to create the hollow tube structure of a microtubule[1][5][8]. Microtubules are essential components of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton involved in maintaining cell shape, enabling intracellular transport via motor proteins like kinesin and dynein, forming the mitotic spindle during cell division, and supporting structures such as cilia and flagella[1][5]. Microtubules are dynamic polymers whose assembly/disassembly is regulated by GTP binding/hydrolysis on beta-tubulin subunits. Numerous associated proteins—collectively called **microtubule-associated proteins** (**MAPs**)—regulate their stability and interactions with other cellular components. Notable among these is tau protein in neurons; its dysfunction is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease[3]. Tubulins are well-established therapeutic targets in oncology because disrupting their dynamics can halt rapidly dividing cancer cells. Drugs such as paclitaxel stabilize microtubules against depolymerization while vinca alkaloids inhibit polymerization; both mechanisms block mitosis leading to apoptosis in cancer cells[2]. However, targeting tubulins can also cause significant side effects including neurotoxicity. Because "Microtubule function protein" does not refer to a specific gene or unique molecular entity but rather an entire class/family of related structural/cytoskeletal proteins with diverse isoforms and regulatory partners, this entry should be considered non-canonical for structured databases—it lacks specificity required for unambiguous mapping to a single drug target or biomarker.[1][4]

Other names

MicrotubuleMicrotubule-associated proteinMAPsAlpha-tubulinBeta-tubulinGamma-tubulin

Inhibition or stabilization of microtubule polymerization/depolymerization to disrupt mitosis[2][6]