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Cells with Variable Beta-tubulin Composition

The Technology: A faculty member of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has developed a set of cell lines, each of which overexpresses a different isotype of β-tubulin. More specifically, the cell lines overexpress β-tubulin I, II, III, IVa, IVb, V or VI. The cell lines are thoroughly characterized and have been used in studies investigating microtubule assembly and cellular resistance to antimitotic drugs such as paclitaxel and vinblastine. The inventor has found that some tubulin isotypes alter sensitivity to antimitotic drugs by perturbing microtubule assembly, while others have little effect on assembly but increase the binding of specific drugs.

Publications:
• Blade et al. Overexpression of Class I, II, or IVb β-tubulin Isotypes in CHO Cells is Insufficient to Confer Resistance to Paclitaxel. Journal of Cell Science 112, 2213-2221 (1999)
• Hari et al. Expression of Class III β-tubulin Reduces Microtubule Assembly and Confers Resistance to Paclitaxel. Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton 56: 45-56 (2003)
• Bhattacharya et al. A ubiquitous β-tubulin Disrupts Microtubule Assembly and Inhibits Cell Proliferation. Molecular Biology of the Cell 15, 3123-3131 (2004)
• Yang, H. and Cabral, F. Heightened Sensitivity to Paclitaxel in Class IVa β-Tubulin-transfected Cells is Lost as Expression Increases. Journal of Biological Chemistry 282, 27058-27066 (2007)

UTHSC-H Ref. No.: 2005-0028
Inventors: Fernando Cabral
Patent Status: N/A
License Available: world-wide; non-exclusive

Download Summary (2005-0028)