Microtubule assembly: lattice GTP to the rescue

Abstract

Recent work describes the surprising finding that cellular microtubules have islands of GTP-bound tubulin within their lattices, in contrast to the long-standing view that all but the very tips of growing microtubules are made up entirely of GDP-tubulin. These GTP-tubulin islands may act as stop signs or speed bumps, switching a shortening microtubule back into a growing state.