ABSTRACT
One of the features that makes microtubules interesting objects of study is their remarkable diversity of function. These functions include cell division, where they mediate the segregation of chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis; cell motility, intracellular transport, and cell shape. This chapter highlights those recent contributions to the field that are most important and relevant. Yeast tubulin genes have been cloned with the hope that the ease of genetic manipulation in that organism will lead to insights into microtubule function. The chicken was chosen as an object of study because of the simplicity of the tubulin multigene family in that organism as compared with other vertebrates. The a- and a-tubulins of all higher eukaryotes thus far examined are encoded by multigene families. The reason for the existence of these multigene families is as yet unknown, though it seems clear that the various isotypes encoded by the different family members can fully assemble in vivo into functionally diverse kinds of microtubule.
