Question

Outline the potential role of microtubule associated proteins in human neurodegenerative diseases.

Answer 1

Microtubules present in the cellular cytoskeleton,Microtubules associated proteins are associated with microtubules.It binds to tubulin subunits and makes stability by microtubules.These proteins have different functions like stabilizing and destabilizng microtubules,guiding microtubules to specific locations of the cell,microtubule cross linking and act as a mediator of microtubule interaction with other proteins.

Due to the reduced microtubular stability several neurodegenerative diseases has been observed.Alzheimer;s disease, Parkinsons disease,Amytrophic lateral sclerosis etc.In the case of Parkinson;s disease ,it is associated with mutations and variations in genees encoding microtubular proteins.It is a second common neurodegenerative disease it causes significant degenration dopaminergic neurons of brain.In the case of parkinsons diseaese microtubule interacting proteins like PINK1,LRRK2 and SNCA mutations may cause parkinsonism.Multiple chaperon proteins are depends on physiological tubulin folding,disfunction of protein folding may lead to the formation of toxic misfolded tubulin heterodimers.Microtubule targeting agents are used to treat these microtubule disfunctions.