Katanin is an ATP-dependent microtubule severing protein composed of 60kDa (katanin-p60) and 80kDa (katanin-p80) subunits (KATNA1 and KATNB1, respectively) [1-4]. In mammals, there are two additional A-like subunits (KATNAL1 and KATNAL2) and one add ...
Katanin is an ATP-dependent microtubule severing protein composed of 60kDa (katanin-p60) and 80kDa (katanin-p80) subunits (KATNA1 and KATNB1, respectively) [1-4]. In mammals, there are two additional A-like subunits (KATNAL1 and KATNAL2) and one additional B-like subunit (KATNBL1) [4]. KATNA1 has the enzymatic activity for microtubule severing and plays a key role in cytoskeletal reorganisation, while KATNB is the regulatory subunit. Formation of the katanin A/B heterodimer is mediated by the N-terminal Microtubule Interacting and Trafficking domain (MIT, represented in this entry) of KATNA1/KATNAL1) and a conserved C-terminal domain of KATNB [2]. This domain is organised in an antiparallel three-helix bundle [1].