A taxol-dependent procedure for the isolation of microtubules and microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs)

The effect of the antimitotic drug taxol on the association of MAPs (microtubule-associated proteins) with microtubules was investigated. Extensive microtubule assembly occurred in the presence of Taxol at 37 degrees C. at 0 degrees C, and at 37 degrees C in the presence of 0.35 M NaCl, overcoming the inhibition of assembly normally observed under the latter two conditions. At 37 degrees C and at 0 degrees C, complete assembly of both tubulin and the MAPs was observed in the presence of Taxol. However, at elevated ionic strength, only tubulin assembled, forming microtubules devoid of MAPs. The MAPs could also be released from the surface of preformed microtubules by exposure to elevated ionic strength. These properties provided the basis for a rapid new procedure for isolating microtubules and MAPs of high purity from small amounts of biological material. The MAPs could be recovered by exposure of the microtubules to elevated ionic strength and subjected to further analysis. Microtubules and MAPs were prepared from bovine cerebral cortex (gray matter) and from HeLa cells. MAP 1, MAP2, and the tau MAPs, as well as species of Mr = 28,000 and 30,000 (LMW, or low molecular weight, MAPs) and a species of Mr = 70,000 were isolated from gray matter. Species identified as the 210,000 and 125,000 mol wt HeLa MAPs were isolated from HeLa cells. Microtubules were also prepared for the first time from white matter. All of the MAPs identified in gray matter preparations were identified in white matter, but the amounts of individual MAP species differed. The most striking difference in the two preparations was a fivefold lower level of MAP 2 relative to tubulin in white matter than in gray. The high molecular weigh MAP, MAP1, was present in equal ratio to tubulin in white and gray matter. These results indicate that MAP 1 and MAP2, as well as other MAP species, may have a different cellular or subcellular distribution.     

Dynamics of microtubules bundled by microtubule associated protein 2C (MAP2C)

MAP2C is a microtubule-associated protein abundant in immature nerve cells. We isolated a cDNA clone encoding whole mouse MAP2C of 467 amino acid residues. In fibroblasts transiently transfected with cDNA of MAP2C, interphase microtubule networks were reorganized into microtubule bundles. To reveal the dynamic properties of microtubule bundles, we analyzed the incorporation sites of exogenously introduced tubulin by microinjection of biotin-labeled tubulin and the turnover rate of microtubule bundles by photoactivation of caged fluorescein- labeled tubulin. The injected biotin-labeled tubulin was rapidly incorporated into distal ends of preexisting microtubule bundles, suggesting a concentration of the available ends of microtubules at this region. Although homogenous staining of microtubule bundles with antibiotin antibody was observed 2 h after injection, the photoactivation study indicated that turnover of microtubule bundles was extremely suppressed and < 10% of tubulin molecules would be exchanged within 1 h. Multiple photoactivation experiments provided evidence that neither catastrophic disassembly at the distal ends of bundles nor concerted disassembly due to treadmilling at the proximal ends could explain the observed rapid incorporation of exogenously introduced tubulin molecules. We conclude that microtubules bundled by MAP2C molecules are very stable while the abrupt increase of free tubulin molecules by microinjection results in rapid assembly from the distal ends within the bundles as well as free nucleation of small microtubules which are progressively associated laterally with preexisting microtubule bundles. This is the first detailed study of the function of MAPs on the dynamics of microtubules in vivo.     

Polarity orientation and assembly process of microtubule bundles in nocodazole-treated, MAP2c-transfected COS cells.

Microtubule bundles reminiscent of those found in neuronal processes are formed in fibroblasts and Sf9 cells that are transfected with the microtubule-associated proteins tau, MAP2, or MAP2c. To analyze the assembly process of these bundles and its relation to the microtubule polarity, we depolymerized the bundles formed in MAP2c-transfected COS cells using nocodazole, and observed the process of assembly of microtubule bundles after removal of the drug in cells microinjected with rhodamine-labeled tubulin. Within minutes of its removal, numerous short microtubule fragments were observed throughout the cytoplasm. These short fragments were randomly oriented and were already bundled. Somewhat longer, but still short bundles, were then found in the peripheral cytoplasm. These bundles became the primordium of the larger bundles, and gradually grew in length and width. The polarity orientation of microtubules in the reformed bundle as determined by "hook" procedure using electron microscope was uniform with the plus end distal to the cell nucleus. The results suggest that some mechanism(s) exists to orient the polarity of microtubules, which are not in direct continuity with the centrosome, during the formation of large bundles. The observed process presents a useful model system for studying the organization of microtubules that are not directly associated with the centrosomes, such as those observed in axons.     

Separation of active tubulin and microtubule-associated proteins by ultracentrifugation and isolation of a component causing the formation of microtubule bundles

A new method for separating microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) and tubulin, appropriate for relatively large-scale preparations, was developed. Most of the active tubulin was separated from the MAPs by centrifugation after selective polymerization of the tubulin was induced with 1.6 M 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonate (Mes) and GTP. The MAPs-enriched supernatant was concentrated and subsequently clarified by prolonged centrifugation. The supernatant (total soluble MAPs) contained almost no tubulin, most of the nucleosidediphosphate kinase activity of the microtubule protein, good activity in promoting microtubule assembly in 0.1 M Mes, and proteins with the electrophoretic mobility of MAP-1, MAP-2, and tau factor. The pellet, inactive in supporting microtubule assembly, contained denatured tubulin, most of the ATPase activity of the microtubule protein, and significant amounts of protein with the electrophoretic mobility of MAP-2. Insoluble material at this and all previous stages, including the preparation of the microtubule protein, could be heat extracted to yield soluble protein active in promoting microtubule assembly and containing MAP-2 as a major constituent. The total soluble MAPs were further purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography into bound and unbound components, both of which induced microtubule assembly. The bound component (DEAE-MAPs) contained proteins with the electrophoretic mobility of MAP-1, MAP-2, and tau factor. The polymerization reaction induced by the unbound component (flow-through MAPs) produced very high turbidity readings. This was caused by the formation of bundles of microtubules. Although the flow-through MAPs contained significantly more ATPase, tubulin-independent GTPase, and, especially, nucleosidediphosphate kinase activity than the DEAE-MAPs, preparation of a MAPs fraction without these enzymes required heat treatment.     

Influence of Monoclonal Antibodies on Microtubule Assembly

The influence on microtubule assembly in vitro of monoclonal antibodies against microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) was studied. Light scattering was used for measuring net polymer formation and electron microscopy for determining the influence of antibodies on microtubule morphology. Control experiments showed that nonimmune mouse IgG had no effect on either the assembly or appearance of microtubules. The same was true for monoclonal antibodies against MAP1. At low levels, antibodies against MAP2 caused the aggregation of microtubules into bundles, an effect that did not occur with antibodies against any other MAP type studied. At increasing concentrations, anti-MAP2 progressively inhibited tubulin polymerization, producing irregular, shortened filaments. Anti-MAP5 produced a striking fragmentation of microtubules into very short pieces that were otherwise morphologically identical to control microtubules. The different effects of these antibodies show the potential of monoclonal antibodies for investigating MAP function and form an important adjunct to cellular microinjection experiments.     

Nerve growth factor-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells involves the coordinate induction of microtubule assembly and assembly-promoting factors

Nerve growth factor (NGF) regulates the microtubule-dependent extension and maintenance of axons by some peripheral neurons. We show here that one effect of NGF is to promote microtubule assembly during neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. Though NGF causes an increase in total tubulin levels, the formation of neurites and the assembly of microtubules follow a time course completely distinct from that of the tubulin induction. The increases in microtubule mass and neurite extension closely parallel 10- and 20-fold inductions of tau and MAP1, proteins shown previously to promote microtubule assembly in vitro. When NGF is removed from PC12 cells, neurites disappear, microtubule mass decreases, and both microtubule-associated proteins return to undifferentiated levels. These data suggest that the induction of tau and MAP1 in response to NGF promotes microtubule assembly and that these factors are therefore key regulators of neurite outgrowth.     

Phosphorylation of MAP2c and MAP4 by MARK kinases leads to the destabilization of microtubules in cells.

Microtubules serve as transport tracks in molecular mechanisms governing cellular shape and polarity. Rapid transitions between stable and dynamic microtubules are regulated by several factors, including microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs). We have shown that MAP/microtubule affinity regulating kinases (MARK) can phosphorylate the microtubule-associated-proteins MAP4, MAP2c, and tau on their microtubule-binding domain in vitro. This leads to their detachment from microtubules (MT) and an increased dynamic instability of MT. Here we show that MARK protein kinases phosphorylate MAP2 and MAP4 on their microtubule-binding domain in transfected CHO cells. In CHO cells expressing MARK1 or MARK2 under control of an inducible promoter, MARK2 phosphorylates an endogenous MAP4-related protein. Prolonged expression of MARK2 results in microtubule-disruption, detachment of cells from the substratum, and cell death. Concomitant with microtubule disruption, we also observed a breakdown of the vimentin network, whereas actin fibers remained unaffected. Thus, MARK seems to play an important role in controlling cytoskeletal dynamics.     

Two microtubule-associated proteins of the Arabidopsis MAP65 family function differently on microtubules

The organization and dynamics of microtubules are regulated by microtubule-associated proteins, or MAPs. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), nine genes encode proteins of the evolutionarily conserved MAP65 family. We proposed that different MAP65s might have distinct roles in the interaction with microtubules. In this study, two AtMAP65 proteins, AtMAP65-1 and AtMAP65-6, were chosen to test this hypothesis in vitro. Although both fusion proteins were able to cosediment with microtubules in vitro, different properties on tubulin polymerization and microtubule bundling were observed. AtMAP65-1 was able to promote tubulin polymerization, enhance microtubule nucleation, and decrease the critical concentration for tubulin polymerization. It also induced the formation of large microtubule bundles by forming cross-bridges between microtubules evenly along the whole length of microtubules. In the presence of AtMAP65-1, microtubule bundles were more resistant to cold and dilution treatments. AtMAP65-6, however, demonstrated no activity in promoting tubulin polymerization and stabilizing preformed microtubules. AtMAP65-6 induced microtubules to form a mesh-like network with individual microtubules. Cross-bridge-like interactions were only found at regional sites between microtubules. The microtubule network induced by AtMAP65-6 was more resistant to high concentration of NaCl than the bundles induced by AtMAP65-1. Purified monospecific anti-AtMAP65-6 antibodies revealed that AtMAP65-6 was associated with mitochondria in Arabidopsis cells. It was concluded that these two MAP65 proteins were targeted to distinct sites, thus performing distinct functions in Arabidopsis cells.     

On the mechanism of calmodulin-induced inhibition of microtubule assembly in vitro

Binding of calmodulin to microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) was analyzed by the equilibrium gel filtration method. The apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of calmodulin binding was found to be 2 microM for tau, and 5 microM for MAP2. These Kd values were similar to the Kd previously determined for calmodulin binding to tubulin. The inhibitory effect of increasing concentrations of calmodulin on the kinetics of microtubule assembly from tau and tubulin was not mimicked by decreasing the concentration of tau alone or tubulin alone. These results suggest that calmodulin inhibits microtubule assembly by its binding to both MAPs and tubulin.     

Comparison of the microtubule formation induced by cytosynalin and MAPs

A comparison was made of cytosynalin- and MAPs-induced microtubule formation. Cytosynalin (a 35 kDa cytoskeleton-interacting and calmodulin-binding protein) facilitated more rapid and extensive microtubule formation than MAPs. Electron microscopic examination revealed that the cytosynalin-induced microtubules were 24 nm tubules surrounded by a periodic nap structure along their length. Consequently, the apparent diameter of microtubules was seen as 34 nm. Cytosynalin maximally bound to tubulin dimer at a molar ratio of 1:1. The effect of cytosynalin on the microtubule formation was found to be more potent than that of MAP2 or tau factor as determined by electron microscopy and cosedimentation assay.     

The control of microtubule stability in vitro and in transfected cells by MAP1B and SCG10

In neurons, the regulation of microtubules plays an important role for neurite outgrowth, axonal elongation, and growth cone steering. SCG10 family proteins are the only known neuronal proteins that have a strong destabilizing effect, are highly enriched in growth cones and are thought to play an important role during axonal elongation. MAP1B, a microtubule-stabilizing protein, is found in growth cones as well, therefore it was important to test their effect on microtubules in the presence of both proteins. We used recombinant proteins in microtubule assembly assays and in transfected COS-7 cells to analyze their combined effects in vitro and in living cells, respectively. Individually, both proteins showed their expected activities in microtubule stabilization and destruction respectively. In MAP1B/SCG10 double-transfected cells, MAP1B could not protect microtubules from SCG10-induced disassembly in most cells, in particular not in cells that contained high levels of SCG10. This suggests that SCG10 is more potent to destabilize microtubules than MAP1B to rescue them. In microtubule assembly assays, MAP1B promoted microtubule formation at a ratio of 1 MAP1B per 70 tubulin dimers while a ratio of 1 SCG10 per two tubulin dimers was needed to destroy microtubules. In addition to its known binding to tubulin dimers, SCG10 binds also to purified microtubules in growth cones of dorsal root ganglion neurons in culture. In conclusion, neuronal microtubules are regulated by antagonistic effects of MAP1B and SCG10 and a fine tuning of the balance of these proteins may be critical for the regulation of microtubule dynamics in growth cones.     

Increased microtubule assembly in bovine brain tubulin lacking the type III isotype of beta-tubulin

Tubulin, the major constituent protein of microtubules, is a heterodimer of alpha and beta subunits. Both alpha and beta exist in multiple isotypic forms. It is not clear if different isotypes perform different functions. In order to approach this question, we have made a monoclonal antibody specific for the beta III isotype of tubulin. This particular isotype is neuron-specific and appears to be phosphorylated near the C terminus. We have used immunoaffinity depletion chromatography to prepare tubulin lacking the beta III subunit. We find that removal of the beta III isotype results in a tubulin mixture able to assemble much more rapidly than is unfractionated tubulin when reconstituted with either of the two microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs), tau or MAP 2. Our results suggest that the different isotypes of tubulin differ from each other in their ability to polymerize into microtubules. We have also found that the anti-beta III antibody can stimulate microtubule assembly when reconstituted with tubulin and either tau or MAP 2. When reconstituted with tubulin lacking the beta III isotype, the antibody causes the tubulin to polymerize into a polymer that is a microtubule in the presence of MAP 2 and a ribbon in the presence of tau.     

Co-assembly properties of higher plant microtubule-associated proteins with purified brain and plant tubulins

The knowledge of higher plant microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) remains limited to a few examples that illustrate essentially their binding properties to preformed microtubules as described in carrots. Using taxol-stabilized microtubules a putative MAP-enriched fraction has been isolated in maize cultured cell extracts, one of these polypeptides is immunologically related to neural tau. At present, these proteins are being characterized by co-assembly assays that were not possible before. Similar experiments were done also in a heterologous system using brain tubulin. Three polypeptides out of seven that constituted the MAP fraction were found to co-assemble specifically with tubulin subunits of both origins. Their apparent molecular weights are 67, 83 and 125 kDa. A two-dimensional gel immunoblot of the 83 kDa polypeptide with tau antibodies revealed one major spot. Polypeptides were quantiated by scanning the gels. These results shed light on the present debate on higher plant MAPs and their potential activity in the regulation of microtubule assembly and function in the higher plant cell.     

Assembly of tubulin from cultured cells and comparison with the neurotubulin model

Spontaneous microtubule assembly can be obtained in extracts from a variety of cultured cell lines by including glycerol in the assembly buffer. An analysis of the effects of cultured cell extracts on brain tubulin (neurotubulin) assembly has shown that the extracts contain initiation inhibitors whose effects are diminished by glycerol. By using glycerol during the assembly step, cultured cell tubulin can be purified by assembly-dissassembly procedures. The amount of glycerol necessary for significant spontaneous assembly varies from 1–6 M among the different cell lines and is dependent upon their content of inhibitor. Comparison of the assembly products obtained from NA, C₆ and CHO cells at increasing glycerol concentrations shows that glycerol enhances the purification of tubulin and a polypeptide of molecular weight 49,000 daltons in all three systems. These preparations contain a number of other polypeptides, including a group with gel electrophoretic mobilities characteristic of tau-factor, but lack the high molecular weight microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) which are present in neurotubulin preparations. Phosphocellulose chromatography of NA tubulin removes several proteins from the tubulin and results in a loss of polymerizability. Among three proteins which are completely removed from the inactive tubulin, the most prominent is the 49K protein. This observation and the co-purification of the 49K protein with tubulin through two assembly-disassembly cycles suggest that it is a true MAP. The difference in MAP proteins between brain and tissue culture cells is parallelled by an absence of ring structures in NA tubulin preparations. NA tubulin, however, does form rings when brain MAPs are added. The early steps of NA tubulin assembly differ from those of neurotubulin; no rings are involved, and the first assembly intermediates are straight protofilament bundles. The differences between MAPs from cultured cells and brain and the absence of ring formation in NA tubulin preparations suggest that the assembly model based on neurotubulin is not completely general. A comparison of extracts from CHO cells grown with and without dibutyryl cAMP revealed no differences between the behavior of these extracts in spontaneous tubulin assembly or in mixture experiments with brain tubulin.     

The periodic association of MAP2 with brain microtubules in vitro

Several high molecular weight polypeptides have been shown to quantitatively copurify with brain tubulin during cycles of in vitro assembly-disassembly. These microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) have been shown to influence the rate and extent of microtubule assembly in vitro. We report here that a heat-stable fraction highly enriched for one of the MAPs, MAP2 (mol wt approximately 300,000 daltons), devoid of MAP1 (mol wt approximately 350,000 daltons), has been purified from calf neurotubules. This MAP2 fraction stoichiometrically promotes microtubule assembly, lowering the critical concentration for tubulin assembly to 0.05 mg/ml. Microtubules saturated with MAP2 contain MAP2 and tubulin in a molar ratio of approximately 1 mole of MAP2 to 9 moles of tubulin dimer. Electron microscopy of thin sections of the MAP2-saturated microtubules fixed in the presence of tannic acid demonstrates a striking axial periodicity of 32 +/- 8 nm.     

Use of a heat-stable microtubule-associated protein class-specific antibody to investigate the mechanism of microtubule binding.

Members of the heat-stable family of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs), MAP 2, tau, and MAP 4, contain three or four tandem imperfect repeated sequences close to their carboxyl termini. These sequences lie within the microtubule-binding domains of the MAPs; they have been proposed to be responsible for microtubule binding and the ability of these MAPs to lower the critical concentration for microtubule assembly. Their spacing may reflect that of the regularly arrayed tubulin subunits on the microtubule surface. We here characterize the 32- and 34-kDa chymotryptic microtubule-binding fragments of MAP 2 identified in earlier work. We identify the primary chymotryptic cleavage site in high molecular weight MAP 2 as between Phe1525 and Lys1526, within 13 amino acids of the known MAP 2 splice junction. We have raised a monoclonal antibody to the 32- and 34-kDa fragments and find that it reacts with all members of the heat-stable MAPs class. To determine where it reacts, we sequenced immunoreactive subfragments of the 32- and 34-kDa fragments, selected several cDNA clones with the antibody, and tested for antibody reactivity against a series of synthetic MAP 2 and tau peptides. We identify the epitope sequence as HHVPGGG (His-His-Val-Pro-Gly-Gly-Gly). The antibody also recognized several other MAP 2 and tau repeats. Despite reacting with this highly conserved element, we find that the antibody does not block microtubule binding, but binds to the MAPs and co-sediments with microtubules. These results suggest that there are other regions besides the repeated elements which are essential for microtubule binding.     

Effect of tau on the vinblastine-induced aggregation of tubulin

Two microtubule-associated proteins, tau and the high molecular weight microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP 2), were purified from rat brain microtubules. Addition of either protein to pure tubulin caused microtubule assembly. In the presence of tau and 10 microM vinblastine, tubulin aggregated into spiral structures. If tau was absent, or replaced by MAP 2, little aggregation occurred in the presence of vinblastine. Thus, vinblastine may be a useful probe in elucidating the individual roles of tau and MAP 2 in microtubule assembly.     

Cell cycle-dependent changes in the dynamics of MAP 2 and MAP 4 in cultured cells

To examine the behavior of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) in living cells, MAP 4 and MAP 2 have been derivatized with 6-iodoacetamido-fluorescein, and the distribution of microinjected MAP has been analyzed using a low light level video system and fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching. Within 1 min following microinjection of fluoresceinated MAP 4 or MAP 2, fluorescent microtubule arrays were visible in interphase or mitotic PtK1 cells. After cold treatment of fluorescent MAP 2-containing cells (3 h, 4 degrees C), microtubule fluorescence disappeared, and the only fluorescence above background was located at the centrosomes; microtubule patterns returned upon warming. Loss of microtubule immunofluorescence after nocodozole treatment was similar in MAP-injected and control cells, suggesting that injected fluorescein-labeled MAP 2 did not stabilize microtubules. The dynamics of the MAPs were examined further by FRAP. FRAP analysis of interphase cells demonstrated that MAP 2 redistributed with half-times slightly longer (60 +/- 25 s) than those for MAP 4 (44 +/- 20 s), but both types of MAPs bound to microtubules in vivo exchanged with soluble MAPs at rates exceeding the rate of tubulin turnover. These data imply that microtubules in interphase cells are assembled with constantly exchanging populations of MAP. Metaphase cells at 37 degrees C or 26 degrees C showed similar mean redistribution half-times for both MAP 2 and MAP 4; these were 3-4 fold faster than the interphase rates (MAP 2, t1/2 = 14 +/- 6 s; MAP 4, t1/2 = 17 +/- 5 s). The extent of recovery of spindle fluorescence in MAP-injected cells was to 84-94% at either 26 or 37 degrees C. Although most metaphase tubulin, like the MAPs, turns over rapidly and completely under physiologic conditions, published work shows either reduced rates or extents of turnover at 26 degrees C, suggesting that the fast mitotic MAP exchange is not simply because of fast tubulin turnover. Exchange of MAP 4 bound to telophase midbodies occurred with dynamics comparable to those seen in metaphase spindles (t1/2 = approximately 27 s) whereas midbody tubulin exchange was slow (greater than 300 s). These data demonstrate that the rate of MAP exchange on microtubules is a function of time in the cell cycle.     

Removal of the projection domain of microtubule-associated protein 2 alters its interaction with tubulin

Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) can promote microtubule assemblyin vitro. One of these MAPs (MAP2) consists of a short promoter domain which binds to the microtubule and promotes assembly and a long projection domain which projects out from the microtubule and may interact wth other cytoskeletal elements. We have previously shown that MAP2 and another MAP, tau, differ in their interactions with tubulin in that tau, but not MAP2, promotes extensive aggregation of tubulin into spiral clusters in the presence of vinblastine and that microtubules formed with MAP2 are more resistant than those formed with tau to the antimitotic drug maytansine [Luduena, R. F.,et al. (1984),J. Biol. Chem. 259, 12890–12898; Fellous, A.,et al. (1985),Cancer Res. 45, 5004–5010]. Here we have used chymotryptic digestion to remove the projection domain of MAP2 and examined the interaction of the digested MAP2 (ctMAP2) with tubulin in the presence of vinblastine and maytansine. We have found that ctMAP2 behaves very much like tau, but not like undigested MAP2, in the presence of vinblastine, in that ctMAP2 causes tubulin to polymerize into large clusters of spirals. In contrast, microtubule assembly in the presence of ctMAP2 is much more resistant to maytansine inhibition than is assembly in the presence of tau or undigested MAP2. Our results suggest that the projection domain of MAP2 may play a role in the interaction of tubulin with MAP2 during microtubule assembly.Abbreviations MAPs microtubule-associated proteins - ctMAP2 MAP2 digested with-chymotrypsin - nMAP2 untreated MAP2 - PMSF phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride - GMPCPP guanosine-5-(,-methylene)triphosphate     

Dysfunction of microtubule-associated proteins of MAP2/tau family in Prion disease

The aggregation of PrP^Sc is thought to be crucial for the neuropathology of prion diseases. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that the perturbation of the microtubule network contributes to PrP^Sc-mediated neurodegeneration. Microtubules are a component of the cytoskeleton and play a central role in organelle transport, axonal elongation and cellular architecture in neurons. The polymerization, stabilization, arrangement of microtubules can be modulated by interactions with a series of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs). Recent studies have proposed the abnormal alterations of two major microtubule-associated proteins, tau and MAP2, in the brain tissues of naturally occurred and experimental human and animal prion diseases. Increased total tau protein and hyperphosphorylation of tau at multiple residues are observed at the terminal stage of prion disease. The abnormal aggregation of tau protein disturbs its binding ability to microtubules and affects the microtubule dynamic. Significantly downregulated MAP2 is detected in the brain tissues of scrapie-infected hamsters and PrP106–126 treated cells, which corresponds well with the remarkably low levels of tubulin. In conclusion, dysfunction of MAP2/tau family leads to disruption of microtubule structure and impairment of axonal transport, and eventually triggers apoptosis in neurons, which becomes an essential pathway for prion to induce the neuropathology.