Ans .Microtubules are polymers of tubulin that form part of the cytoskeleton and provide structure and shape to eukaryotic cells.
Microtubules assemble only in the presence of GTP- bound tubulin heterodimers , but the - tubulin-bound GTP is rapidly hydrolyzed to GDP after assembly.
The role of GTP in microtubule assembly is to give tubulin a conformation favourable for polymerization, and then to shift equilibrium irreversibly toward polymerization through the hydrolysis of tubulin - bound GTP. The hydrolysis of GTP is necessary for subsequent disassembly of microtubules.
It is apparent that in order for ATP to support assembly , the E-site must contain GTP which then becomes hydrolyzed.Therefore , ATP cannot be interacting with tubulin at this site.
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