TubStain: a universal peptide-tool to label microtubules.

Imaging of the microtubular network is an important strategy to define cell-cycle specific and pathological states of eukaryotic cells. Here, we describe TubStain, a novel recombinant polypeptide allowing direct, non-antibody dependent labeling of microtubules in fixed cells over a broad range of different species and tissues. TubStain has, due to its small size and susceptibility for biochemical and genetic manipulations, high potential as a microtubule marker in state-of-the-art microscopy.