Effect of microtubule inhibitors on the tubulin system of Dictyostelium discoideum.

Indirect immunofluorescence with antibodies to microtubular proteins has been used to investigate the microtubule system of Dictyostelium discoideum vegetative amoebae and the action of several compounds that interfere with that system. All the inhibitors tested show an antimicrotubular effect. Colchicine, vinblastine, nocodazole, thiabendazole, and isopropyl-N-phenyl-carbamate (IPC) seem to act mainly by destroying microtubules leaving the appearance of nuclei associated organelles (NAOs) undisturbed. On the other hand griseofulvin also affects NAOs which disappear in treated cells.