Tubulin beta chain

Tubulin beta chain (TUBB) is a core structural protein that forms heterodimers with alpha-tubulin to polymerize into microtubules, dynamic cytoskeletal elements essential for cellular transport and morphogenesis (UniProt: P07437). GTP hydrolysis by the alpha subunit regulates microtubule assembly and disassembly. TUBB mutations are associated with cortical dysplasia and developmental brain malformations (CDCBM6), reflecting its critical role in neuronal migration and axonal guidance during neurodevelopment.

In Alzheimer's disease, TUBB shows ambiguous regulation across subcellular fractions in post-mortem AD brain compared to age-matched controls (Chaparral AD proteomics). The mean log2 fold-change is −0.0523, indicating minimal net change overall despite differential abundance patterns across the four examined subcellular fractions (P2, P3, S2, S3) in TMT-labeled quantitative proteomics. This subtle, direction-ambiguous result suggests TUBB abundance is largely preserved in AD brain, though compartmentalization may shift.