Plant microtubules can be translocated by a dynein ATPase from sea urchin in vitro

The latent ability of plant microtubules to translocate or slide in the presence of motor protein was examined in a motility assay in vitro. Plant microtubules isolated from tobacco BY-2 cells moved over a glass surface covered with outer arm 215 dynein from flagella of sea urchin sperm with an average velocity of 3.7 mu-m s(-1). This velocity was similar to that of microtubules isolated from bovine brain under the same conditions (average velocity, about 4.1 mu-m s(-1)). These results suggest that plant microtubules have an intrinsic s/ability to interact with and to be translocated by dynein. It is postulated that microtubules have an intrinsic ability to interact with and to be translocated by dynein. It is postulated that microtubule-based motor proteins, including dynein ATPase, are involved in the functioning of microtubules in plant cells