Temperature-dependent conformation of the tubulin dimer

Where it participates (unsigned role)

1. Tritiated benzimidazole carbamate binding to mammalian brain tubulin was markedly greater at 4 degrees than at 37 degrees for all ligands, association constants and maximum binding were temperature dependent, and the first order dissociation rate constant of the mebendazole-tubulin complex was reduced by two orders of magnitude at 4 degrees compared with 37 degrees, suggesting that temperature-induced conformational changes in the tubulin dimer influence the ability to form a stable complex; this is unlike the interaction observed for parasitic nematodes where optimum binding occurs at 37 degrees and results in a pseudo-irreversible complex.

   Mebendazole → Mammalian brain tubulin source_derived_draftungraded
   Experimental context and source evidence

   evidence_span

   {"source_cache": "artifacts/mebendazole-research/1554382.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "70fec1c41b747eaae6d4a47ad1075a49828ee942f7935b85eb0f51416cd57c37", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 1495, "text_sha256": "70fec1c41b747eaae6d4a47ad1075a49828ee942f7935b85eb0f51416cd57c37"}

   experimental_model

   Tritiated benzimidazole carbamate binding to mammalian brain tubulin measured at 4 and 37 degrees

   exposure

   Mebendazole, oxibendazole, oxfendazole and carbendazim binding measured across temperature

   limitations

   The temperature arm is what makes this decisive: it explains why the same drug behaves differently on host and parasite tubulin at body temperature. Binding was measured on brain tubulin, not on tubulin from a target tissue.

   nutrient_topic

   Mebendazole research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and mebendazole is recorded separately from albendazole, from the benzimidazole class and from its own crystal forms. · Mebendazole

   organism

   Mammal

   plain_language

   At body temperature the drug slides off our tubulin and locks onto the worm’s; cool ours down and it sticks to that too.

   primary_references

   [mbz-p1554382] Binding of [3H]benzimidazole carbamates to mammalian brain tubulin and the mechanism of selective toxicity of the benzimidazole anthelmintics. (1992). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1554382/ DOI: 10.1016/0006-2952(92)90617-r

   tissue_or_cell_type

   Brain tubulin

   Mebendazole: the tubulin it binds, why that is selective, the crystal form that decides whether any of it works, and the off-target that became an oncology programme (2026-09-22) · lines 160–171

   AI-assisted literature curation; primary study URLs and scope retained in the document and extraction. Not publisher full text. · supports · Tritiated benzimidazole carbamate binding to mammalian brain tubulin measured at 4 and 37 degrees · source_derived_draft · unverified_draft

   ### mbz-temperature-decides Tritiated benzimidazole carbamate binding to mammalian brain tubulin was markedly greater at 4 degrees than at 37 degrees for all ligands, association constants and maximum binding were temperature dependent, and the first order dissociation rate constant of the mebendazole-tubulin complex was reduced by two orders of magnitude at 4 degrees compared with 37 degrees, suggesting that temperature-induced conformational changes in the tubulin dimer influence the ability to form a stable complex; this is unlike the interaction observed for parasitic nematodes where optimum binding occurs at 37 degrees and results in a pseudo-irreversible complex. Condition category: normal nutrient_topic: Mebendazole research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and mebendazole is recorded separately from albendazole, from the benzimidazole class and from its own crystal forms. plain_language: At body temperature the drug slides off our tubulin and locks onto the worm’s; cool ours down and it sticks to that too. organism: Mammal tissue_or_cell_type: Brain tubulin experimental_model: Tritiated benzimidazole carbamate binding to mammalian brain tubulin measured at 4 and 37 degrees limitations: The temperature arm is what makes this decisive: it explains why the same drug behaves differently on host and parasite tubulin at body temperature. Binding was measured on brain tubulin, not on tubulin from a target tissue. exposure: Mebendazole, oxibendazole, oxfendazole and carbendazim binding measured across temperature evidence_span: {"source_cache": "artifacts/mebendazole-research/1554382.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "70fec1c41b747eaae6d4a47ad1075a49828ee942f7935b85eb0f51416cd57c37", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 1495, "text_sha256": "70fec1c41b747eaae6d4a47ad1075a49828ee942f7935b85eb0f51416cd57c37"} [mbz-p1554382] Binding of [3H]benzimidazole carbamates to mammalian brain tubulin and the mechanism of selective toxicity of the benzimidazole anthelmintics. (1992). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1554382/ DOI: 10.1016/0006-2952(92)90617-r

   Complete structured claim and evidence