eLife Assessment: Effect of alpha-tubulin acetylation on the doublet microtubule structure

Acetylation of α-tubulin at the lysine 40 residue (αK40) by ATAT1/MEC-17 acetyltransferase modulates microtubule properties and occurs in most eukaryotic cells. Acetylated microtubules are more stable and damage resistant. αK40 acetylation is the only known microtubule luminal post-translational modification site. The luminal location suggests that the modification tunes the lateral interaction of protofilaments inside the microtubule. In this study, we examined the effect of tubulin acetylation on the doublet microtubule in the cilia of Tetrahymena thermophila using a combination of cryo-electron microscopy, molecular dynamics, and mass spectrometry. We found that αK40 acetylation exerts a small-scale effect on the doublet microtubule structure and stability by influencing the lateral rotational angle. In addition, comparative mass spectrometry revealed a link between αK40 acetylation and phosphorylation in cilia.