Inhibition by methyl mercury chloride and mercuric chloride of the in vitro polymerization of microtubules

: Mercury was tested at the same concentration but under two different forms, organic CH3HgCl and inorganic HgCl2, in order to compare its relative inhibitory effect on in vitro microtubules polymerization. Induced by GTP and glycerol 8 M, tubulin polymerization was completely inhibited by HgCl2 10(-3) M while a 75.8% inhibition was measured for CH3HgCl2 10(-3) M.