This technology is a novel means of regulating microtubule formation in many g-tubulin-containing organisms, including mammalian cells and yeast; offering the potential for naturally derived biopharmaceuticals targeting microtubule cytoskeleton processes.
Microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) in eukaryotes serve critical conserved roles in organizing polarized microtubule cytoskeleton arrays/structures. These are important in a variety of fundamental cell processes, including spindle assembly, neural development, immunologic action of cytotoxic T-cells, cell polarization, cell asymmetry, and cilia and basal body functions across species. Targeting and controlling these biological “machines” are of broad importance and expected to have high impact for use in novel biomedical (e.g. cancer therapy) and biotoxin applications (pharmaceutical, agricultural, military). The core functional unit of the MTOC in eukaryotes is called a gamma-tubulin ring complex (g-TuRC). The g-TuRC MTOC controls microtubule growth and polarity by acting as a template for functioning in microtubule organization and dynamics.
This technology is based on a unique combination of short amino acid sequences that we have identified in the fission yeast motor protein Kinesin-14 Pkl1 Tail domain and merged to enable targeting and inhibitory control of g-TURC. This sequence can target the g-TuRC and remove g-tubulin subunits from the complex to inactivate it. The technology is an in vitro assay for the action of the peptide. We are also optimizing its use in other organisms that contain g-tubulin, including humans and yeast. Since the MTOC is highly conserved across species, the peptides we have discovered provide a novel means of regulating microtubules in mammalian cells and yeast, and is expected to act in many other g-tubulin containing organisms. This technology is applicable for a variety of commercial applications as a naturally derived biopharmaceutical for targeting microtubule cytoskeleton processes.
• Affects a cellular organelle broadly integrated into key cell functions that affect genome stability, cell shape, cell polarity, neural function, and more.
• Highly adaptable to applications such as disease therapies, agriculture, and military biotoxin applications.
• Can be combined with other microtubule cytoskeleton-targeting agents for cancer therapy, such as paclitaxel.
The primary application for this technology is targeting microtubule cytoskeleton processes.
This technology is protected by U.S. Patent # 9,567,380, “Microtubule Organizing Center (MTOC)-Inactivating Peptides.”
TRL 3 – Experimental proof of concept
This technology is available for licensing.
This technology would be of interest to facilities involved in research that identifies and develops pharmaceuticals that target microtubule cytoskeleton processes. These include:
• Pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• Universities.
• Medical research laboratories