Final answer:
Microtubule disassembly is triggered by GTP hydrolysis, impacting tubulin structure and leading to catastrophe. This process is key to understanding how certain chemotherapy drugs, like vinblastine, inhibit cell division by targeting microtubule stability.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that induces catastrophe and disassembly of microtubules is GTP hydrolysis. Microtubules are dynamic structures that form part of the cell's cytoskeleton, and their stability is regulated by the GTP located on tubulin subunits. When GTP is hydrolyzed to GDP, it leads to a change in the structure of the tubulin subunit, triggering the disassembly of microtubules. This disassembly can be inhibited by certain drugs such as vinblastine used in cancer chemotherapy, which target the microtubules and disrupt cell division by preventing their polymerization.