ADPRibosylation of chicken red cell tubulin and inhibition of microtubule self-assembly in vitro by the NAD(+)-dependent avian ADPRibosyl transferase.

Chicken erythrocyte tubulin was found to undergo NAD(+)-dependent ADPribosylation in vitro in the presence of ADPRtransferase also isolated from avian red blood cells. Unlike the low level of ADPR incorporation catalyzed by Cholera and Pertussis toxins (i.e., less than 0.005 mol ADPR/mol tubulin), the avian system displayed a much higher stoichiometry of 0.8-1.2 mol ADPR/mol tubulin. Modification resulted in potent inhibition of microtubule self-assembly, even in the presence of bovine brain microtubule-associated proteins or with the addition of pre-assembled microtubules.