The TUBB2B gene provides instructions for making one version of a protein called beta-tubulin (β-tubulin). This protein is part of the tubulin family of proteins that form and organize cell structures called microtubules. Microtubules are rigid, hollow fibers that make up the cell’s structural framework (the cytoskeleton). They are composed of β-tubulin and a similar protein called alpha-tubulin (α-tubulin) that is produced from a different gene. Microtubules grow and shrink as tubulin proteins are added to and removed from the ends of fibers. This process allows cells to move and change shape.
β-tubulin produced from the TUBB2B gene is found primarily in the brain and in nerve cells (neurons). In neurons, microtubules are integral for the cells’ movement to the proper location in the brain and for a process called axon guidance, by which specialized extensions of neurons (axons) reach their correct positions. Once in the right location, axons relay messages to and from the brain to control muscle movement and detect sensations such as touch, pain, heat, and sound.
Other Names
class IIb beta-tubulin; TUBULIN, BETA, CLASS IIB; TUBULIN, BETA-2B
Related Genetics Topics
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Identifiers
- NCBI Gene: 347733
- OMIM: 612850
Source: MedlinePlus Genetics, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
