alpha-Tubulin microheterogeneity was studied in Tetrahymena pyriformis. Using two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis, we found between five and seven alpha-tubulin and four beta-tubulin isoforms in ...cilia and four or five alpha-tubulins and two beta-tubulins in cytoskeleton. Immunoblotting assay with anti-(acetyl alpha-tubulin) monoclonal antibody 6-11B-1 and 3Hacetate labelling revealed that the alpha-tubulin isoforms are post-translationally modified by acetylation. Our results also show that tubulins in the soluble cytoplasmic fraction are not acetylated. Nevertheless, a slight reaction with the antibody 6-11 B-1 can be observed in the taxol and vinblastine-treated cytoplasmic pool. Pulse/chase experiments using 35Smethionine during cell reciliation have demonstrated that the basic alpha-tubulin isoforms are converted into acidic isoforms in the absence of protein synthesis, suggesting that the basic alpha-tubulin is the precursor of the acidic forms which are found in cilia and cytoskeleton. In-vivo-translation selection demonstrated the existence of a single precursor molecule which corresponded to the most basic alpha-tubulin. Taken together, our results provide evidence for the existence of post-translational modifications, namely acetylation. Nevertheless, other post-translational mechanisms involved in the biosynthesis of microtubules of cilia and cytoskeleton are required to explain the whole alpha-tubulin heterogeneity.
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