Open questions: Reflections on intrinsically disordered proteins

Abstract

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins or Regions (IDPs) are proteins that lack a predetermined 3D structure playing key cellular functions including regulation, signaling, and protein-protein/DNA interaction. IDPs are often involved in diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes. IDPs have been shown to be attractive therapeutic targets and drug development. Intrigued by these controversial observations, some questions are raised: how IDPs are so common even under the scenario that they are unstable and linked to misfolding and diseases? Does the cellular regulation depend on disorder?

Keywords

• disorder
• diseases
• protein
• regulation