Tubulin Gamma Complex Associated protein 3 (TUBgCP3)

γ-Tubulin is a universal component of microtubule organizing centers where it is believed to play an important role in the nucleation of microtubule polymerization. Sequence analysis revealed that these proteins are not only related to their respective homologues, but are also related to each other. GCP2 and GCP3 colocalize with γ-tubulin at the centrosome, cosediment with γ-tubulin in sucrose gradients, and coimmunoprecipitate with γ-tubulin, indicating that they are part of the γ-tubulin complex. The conservation of a complex involving γ-tubulin, GCP2, and GCP3 from yeast to mammals suggests that structurally diverse microtubule organizing centers such as the yeast spindle pole body and the animal centrosome share a common molecular mechanism for microtubule nucleation.