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    The 9+2 axoneme and its constituent tubulin: A stringent relationship

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    Abstract The current knowledge on the structural and functional relationship between the 9+2 axoneme and its main constituent tubulin is herein reviewed. The complex organization of this tissue-specific microtubular array has been shown to be strongly dependent on tubulin structure. Definite tubulin primary structural features are in fact required for axoneme construction; if these sequence aspects are modified, the axoneme is no longer assembled correctly. A peculiar feature of axonemal tubulin is the occurrence of a series of posttranslational modifications, which strongly enhance the molecular heterogeneity of the protein. The available information on the distribution of the different tubulin isoforms within the axoneme and on their possible roles is also discussed
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