The rationale for replacing the old binary of structure–function with the trinity of structure, disorder, and function has gained considerable ground in recent years. A continuum model based on the expanded form of the existing paradigm can now subsume importance of both conformational flexibility and intrinsic disorder in protein function. The disorder is actually critical for understanding the protein–protein interactions in many regulatory processes, formation of membrane‐less organelles, and our revised notions of specificity as amply illustrated by moonlighting proteins. While its importance in formation of amyloids and function of prions is often discussed, the roles of intrinsic disorder in infectious diseases and protein function under extreme conditions are also becoming clear. This review is an attempt to discuss how our current understanding of protein function, specificity, and evolution fit better with the continuum model. This integration of structure and disorder under a single model may bring greater clarity in our continuing quest for understanding proteins and molecular mechanisms of their functionality.

中文翻译：

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蛋白质结构-功能连续体模型：特异性、进化和结构之间的新兴联系

近年来，用结构、无序和功能三位一体取代旧的结构-功能二元结构的理论基础已获得相当多的支持。基于现有范式扩展形式的连续体模型现在可以包含蛋白质功能中构象灵活性和内在无序的重要性。这种疾病实际上对于理解许多调控过程中蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用、无膜细胞器的形成以及我们通过兼职蛋白质充分说明的修订后的特异性概念至关重要。虽然人们经常讨论其在淀粉样蛋白形成和朊病毒功能中的重要性，但内在紊乱在传染病和极端条件下蛋白质功能中的作用也越来越清楚。这篇综述试图讨论我们目前对蛋白质功能、特异性和进化的理解如何更好地适应连续体模型。这种结构和无序在单一模型下的整合可能会让我们对蛋白质及其功能的分子机制的持续探索变得更加清晰。