A new function for an old organelle: Microtubule nucleation at the Golgi apparatus

Abstract

The microtubule cytoskeleton of a mammalian cell originates from the perinuclear region and controls membrane trafficking, organelle positioning, and cell polarisation. Although the centrosome is viewed as the major microtubule organising centre, there is emerging evidence that the Golgi apparatus also has a role in the nucleation of perinuclear microtubules during the interphase. In a recent paper in The EMBO Journal, Rivero and colleagues reported the identification of a microtubule nucleation machinery at the Golgi and provided clues about functional differences between Golgi- and centrosomenucleated microtubules. © 2009 European Molecular Biology Organization / Some Rights Reserved.