The microtubule cytoskeleton is assembled from a finite pool of α,β-tubulin, the size of which is controlled by an autoregulation mechanism. Cells also tightly regulate the architecture and dynamic behavior of microtubule arrays. Here, we discuss progress in our understanding of how tubulin autoregulation is achieved and highlight work showing that tubulin, in its unassembled state, is relevant for regulating the formation and organization of microtubules. Emerging evidence suggests that tubulin regulates microtubule-associated proteins and kinesin motors that are critical for microtubule nucleation, dynamics, and function. These relationships create feedback loops that connect the tubulin assembly cycle to the organization and dynamics of microtubule networks. We term this concept the ‘tubulin economy’, which emphasizes the idea that tubulin is a resource that can be deployed for the immediate purpose of creating polymers, or alternatively as a signaling molecule that has more far-reaching consequences for the organization of microtubule arrays.

微管细胞骨架由有限的 α,β-微管蛋白池组装而成，其大小由自动调节机制控制。细胞还严格调节微管阵列的结构和动态行为。在这里，我们讨论了我们对微管蛋白自动调节如何实现的理解方面的进展，并重点介绍了表明微管蛋白在未组装状态下与调节微管的形成和组织相关的工作。新的证据表明，微管蛋白调节微管相关蛋白和驱动蛋白马达，这对于微管成核、动力学和功能至关重要。这些关系创建了反馈循环，将微管蛋白组装周期与微管网络的组织和动态连接起来。我们将这个概念称为“微管蛋白经济”，它强调微管蛋白是一种资源，可以用于直接制造聚合物，或者作为信号分子，对微管阵列的组织产生更深远的影响。 。