Profilin affects microtubule dynamics via actin

Ulrichs and Shekhar highlight work from Cisterna and colleagues, which reports that microtubule number and stability increases following prolonged depletion of profilin 1 or F-actin due to a loss of actomyosin contractility. Profilin binds microtubules in vitro. However, a new study by Vitriol and colleagues (https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202309097) now suggests that effects of profilin on microtubule dynamics in cells are indirect and result from its impact on actin dynamics rather than its direct binding to microtubules.