1st Edition

Structure and Function of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

By Peter Tompa, Alan Fersht Copyright 2010
    360 Pages 82 B/W Illustrations
    by Chapman & Hall

    The existence and functioning of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) challenge the classical structure-function paradigm that equates function with a well-defined 3D structure. Uncovering the disordered complement of proteomes and understanding their functioning can extend the structure-function paradigm to herald new breakthroughs in drug development. Structure and Function of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins thoroughly covers the history up to the latest developments in this field.

    After examining the principles of protein structure, the classical paradigm, and the history of structural disorder, the book focuses on physical techniques for the identification and characterization of IDPs. It discusses proteomic and bioinformatic approaches and shows how IDPs behave under crowding conditions in living cells. The next several chapters describe the structure, correlating biological processes, and molecular mechanisms of IDPs. The author also explores the evolutionary advancement of structural disorder in proteomes and possible ways of extending the structure-function paradigm to encompass both ordered and disordered states of proteins. He concludes with discussions on the involvement of IDPs in various diseases and how to establish rational drug design through detailed characterization of IDPs.

    Although drug discovery rates have leveled off, new insight generated by the study of IDPs may offer fresh strategies for drug development. This work illustrates how these proteins defy the structure-function paradigm and play important regulatory and signaling roles.

    Principles of Protein Structure and Function

    Physical Forces That Shape Protein Structure

    Primary Structure: Amino Acid Sequence

    Protein-Coding Genes

    Post-Translational Modifications of Amino Acids

    Hierarchical Description of Structure

    Folding of a Protein

    Unfolding of a Protein: Lessons from Polymer Theory

    The Limits of Global Descriptions of the Unfolded State

    Databases of Proteins and Protein Structures

    DisProt: The Database of Disordered Proteins

    The Classical Structure-Function Paradigm

    A Brief History of Protein Disorder

    Can We Define Disorder?

    The History of Disorder

    So We Have Disordered Proteins

    Indirect Techniques for Recognizing and Characterizing Protein Disorder

    Resistance to Heat

    Resistance to Chemical Denaturation

    Unusual SDS-PAGE Mobility

    Enhanced Proteolytic Sensitivity

    Limited Proteolysis and Local Structure

    Differential Scanning Calorimetry

    Isothermal Titration Calorimetry

    Chemical Cross-Linking

    H/D Exchange

    Hydrodynamic Techniques

    Gel Filtration (Size-Exclusion) Chromatography

    Dynamic Light Scattering

    Analytical Ultracentrifugation

    Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering

    Pulsed-Field Gradient NMR

    Spectroscopic Techniques for Characterizing Disorder

    X-Ray Crystallography

    Fluorescence Spectroscopy

    Fourier-Transform Infrared Resonance Spectroscopy

    Circular Dichroism

    Raman Optical Activity Spectroscopy

    Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

    Electron Microscopy

    Atomic Force Microscopy

    Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

    Basic Principles

    Global Characterization by NMR

    Sequence-Specific Structural Information

    Special Applications

    Proteomic Approaches for the Identification of IDPs

    Expectations and Limitations of Proteomic Studies

    2DE-MS Identification of Proteins in Extracts Enriched for Disorder

    Native/Urea 2DE Provides Direct Information on Disorder

    IDPs under Conditions Approaching In Vivo

    Macromolecular Crowding in the Cell

    In Vitro Approaches to Mimicking Crowding Conditions

    The State of IDPs In Vivo

    Physiological Half-Life of IDPs: No Signs of Rapid Degradation

    Indirect Considerations Underscoring Disorder of IDPs In Vivo

    Prediction of Disorder

    General Points

    Propensity-Based Predictors

    Machine-Learning Algorithms

    Prediction Based on Interresidue Contacts

    Prediction of Short and Long Regions of Disorder Separately

    Combination of Predictors: Meta-Servers

    Prediction of Functional Motifs in IDPs

    Comparison of the Accuracy of Predictors: The CASP Experiment

    A Better Target Prioritization in Structural Genomics

    Structure of IDPs

    Primary Structure of Disordered Proteins

    Secondary Structure of Disordered Proteins

    Ambiguity in Structure

    Tertiary Structure: Global Features of IDP Structures

    Dynamics of IDP Structure: The Time-Course of Fluctuations within the Ensemble

    A Readout of Structure: The Hydrate Layer of IDPs

    Biological Processes Enriched in Disorder

    Biological Functions Enriched with Disorder

    Disorder in Transcription/Transcription Regulation

    Disorder in Signaling Proteins

    Nucleic Acid-Containing Organelles

    Disorder in RNA-Binding Proteins: Transcription and RNA Folding

    Cytoskeletal Proteins

    Disorder in Stress Proteins

    Disorder and Metal Binding

    Disorder and Enzyme Activity

    Is There a Link between the Pattern of Disorder and Function?

    Molecular Functions of Disordered Proteins

    Entropic Chain Functions

    Display Site Functions

    Chaperone Functions

    Effector Functions

    Scavenger Functions

    Assembler Functions

    Prion Functions

    Evolution and Prevalence of Disorder

    Phylogenetic Distribution of Disorder

    Fast Evolution of IDPs by Point Mutations

    Fast Evolution of IDPs by Repeat Expansion

    Fast Evolution and Functionality of Disordered Proteins

    Structural Variability and Evolvability of New Functions

    Extension of the Structure-Function Paradigm

    Functions That Stem Directly from the Disordered State

    Recognition Functions: Recognition by Short Motifs

    Disorder-to-Order Transition in Recognition: Mechanistic and Thermodynamic Aspects

    Recognition Functions: Uncoupling Specificity from Binding Strength

    Implications of Disorder for the Kinetics of Interactions

    Adaptability and Moonlighting

    Nested Interfaces

    Disorder in the Bound State: Fuzziness

    Processivity of Binding

    Sequence Independence in Recognition

    Ultrasensitivity of Recognition

    Signal Propagation in the Structural Ensemble of IDPs

    Disorder and Alternative Splicing

    Molecular Mimicry by a Disordered Region

    Entropy Transfer in Chaperone Action

    Structural Disorder and Disease

    Structural Disorder and Cancer

    Structural Disorder in Proteins Involved in Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes, and Autoimmune Diseases

    Structural Disorder and Neurodegenerative Diseases

    Systemic Amyloidoses

    Common Themes in Amyloid Formation

    Does Structural Disorder Pose a Danger?

    Disorder in Pathogenic Organisms

    Rational Drug Design Based on Protein Disorder

    References

    Biography

    Peter Tompa is Group Leader in the Laboratory of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins, Institute of Enzymology, Biological Research Center at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest.

    "Tompa's masterly compendium on intrinsically disordered proteins arrives at just the right time to fill a conspicuous void on this important topic. His eminently readable book is broad enough to educate beginners but deep enough to inform experts."
    —George Rose, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    "Peter Tompa’s fine comprehensive overview of this rapidly advancing field is of timely importance, both for its documentation and for emphasizing the importance of IDPs in biology and protein science. … This book demonstrates Tompa’s considerable command of the field, providing appropriate examples and ample details in every respect. Its coverage of the latest developments in the field is impressive, and the author manages to strike a good balance between detail and concept to lead the reader through this novel field."
    —From the Foreword by Professor Sir Alan Fersht, University of Cambridge, UK

    "The book is just superb—a thorough, comprehensive and lucid discussion of intrinsically disordered proteins."
    —Joel L. Sussman, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel