Intrinsic disorder in cell signaling and gene transcription

Structural disorder, which enables unique modes of action often associated with molecular recognition and folding induced by a partner, is widespread in eukaryotic proteomes. Due to the ensuing advantages, such as specificity without strong binding, adaptability to multiple partners and subtle regulation by post-translational modification, structural disorder is prevalent in proteins of signaling and regulatory functions, such as membrane receptors, scaffold proteins, cytoskeletal proteins, transcription factors and nuclear hormone receptors. In this review we survey the most important aspects of structural disorder, with major focus on features and advantages pertinent to signal transduction. Our major goal is to elucidate how the functional requirements of these protein classes concur with specific functional modes disorder enables. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.