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6 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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TBCEL
tubulin folding cofactor E like
Chromosome 11 · 11q23.3
NCBI Gene: 219899Ensembl: ENSG00000154114.14HGNC: HGNC:28115UniProt: Q5QJ74
17PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingalpha-tubulin bindingmicrotubule cytoskeleton organizationtubulin complex assemblySensorineural hearing impairmentinborn disorder of amino acid metabolismallergic urticariahyperaldosteronism
✦AI Summary

TBCEL (tubulin folding cofactor E-like) is a metazoan-specific regulator of tubulin stability that functions distinctly from its prokaryotic homologue TBCE. At the molecular level, TBCEL destabilizes tubulin heterodimers and targets them for proteasomal degradation, independent of direct microtubule interaction 12. This tubulin-disrupting activity is counterbalanced by Op18/stathmin, which protects unpolymerized tubulin from TBCEL-mediated degradation 3. Suppression of TBCEL expression increases cellular stable, post-translationally modified microtubules and alters organelle distribution 1. Neurologically, TBCEL plays a critical role in microtubule homeostasis during neuronal development. C. elegans coel-1 (TBCEL homologue) disruption causes developmental hypersensitivity to paclitaxel, while overexpression perturbs specialized microtubules in touch receptor neurons and influences neurite outgrowth and mechanosensory function 4. TBCEL also functions in spermatogenesis; Drosophila Tbcel mutants exhibit defective spermatid individualization and reduced male fertility, with TBCEL localized to testicular axoneme bundles 5. These findings establish TBCEL as a conserved regulator of microtubule dynamics with specialized roles in neuronal differentiation and male fertility, positioning it as a potential target in neurodevelopmental or reproductive disorders.

Sources cited
1
TBCEL/coel-1 is neurally expressed and essential for microtubule homeostasis; disruption causes paclitaxel hypersensitivity and affects neurite outgrowth and mechanosensory function in touch receptor neurons
PMID: 24098140
2
Drosophila Tbcel is required for spermatid individualization and male fertility; localizes to testicular axoneme bundles
PMID: 23121292
3
TBCEL (E-like protein) disrupts functional tubulin dimers targeting them for proteasomal degradation; suppression increases stable, post-translationally modified microtubules
PMID: 16202601
4
TBCEL destabilizes tubulin by disrupting heterodimers and committing tubulin to proteasomal degradation; suppression increases stable microtubules and affects membrane clustering
PMID: 15728251
5
Op18/stathmin protects unpolymerized tubulin from TBCEL-mediated disruption; tubulin protection depends on Op18 levels and binding affinity
PMID: 18262179
Disease Associationsⓘ20
Sensorineural hearing impairmentOpen Targets
0.34Weak
inborn disorder of amino acid metabolismOpen Targets
0.17Weak
allergic urticariaOpen Targets
0.14Weak
hyperaldosteronismOpen Targets
0.11Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
retinitis pigmentosaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Leber hereditary optic neuropathyOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
preeclampsiaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
idiopathic pulmonary fibrosisOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
systemic lupus erythematosusOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
autoimmune disorder of musculoskeletal systemOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
Leber congenital amaurosis 13Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
retinitis pigmentosa 71Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
liver diseaseOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
macular dystrophy with or without cone dysfunctionOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
coloboma of optic nerveOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
pseudotumor cerebriOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
retinitis pigmentosa 95Open Targets
0.03Suggestive
optic atrophy 13 with retinal and foveal abnormalitiesOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
congenital stationary night blindness 1GOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
TBCDProtein interaction67%TBCEShared pathway60%TBCBShared pathway50%TBCAShared pathway50%TBCCShared pathway50%TOGARAM2Shared pathway33%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Heart
100%
Liver
95%
Ovary
92%
Lung
87%
Brain
84%
Bone Marrow
64%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
TBCELTBCDTBCETBCBTBCATBCCTOGARAM2
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
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AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q5QJ74
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.51Moderately Constrained
pLIⓘ
0.97Intolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.33 [0.22–0.51]
RankingsWhere TBCEL stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #15,132of 20,598
    Most Researched17
  • #3,139of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.51 · top quartile
Genes detectedTBCEL
Sources retrieved6 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
6▼
1
Identification of 526 conserved metazoan genetic innovations exposes a new role for cofactor E-like in neuronal microtubule homeostasis.
PMID: 24098140
PLoS Genet · 2013
1.00
2
The Drosophila homologue of tubulin-specific chaperone E-like protein is required for synchronous sperm individualization and normal male fertility.
PMID: 23121292
J Neurogenet · 2012
0.83
3
Notch activation induces neurite remodeling and functional modifications in SH-SY5Y neuronal cells.
PMID: 19263417
Dev Neurobiol · 2009
0.67
4
Possible regulation of microtubules through destabilization of tubulin.
PMID: 16202601
Trends Cell Biol · 2005
0.50
5
Op18/Stathmin counteracts the activity of overexpressed tubulin-disrupting proteins in a human leukemia cell line.
PMID: 18262179
Exp Cell Res · 2008
0.33