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Updated: May 29, 2026
09:32
Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules
Published on: April 12, 2019
Attributes of short linear motifs
Norman E Davey1, Kim Van Roey, Robert J Weatheritt
1Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany. davey@embl.de
Molecular Biosystems
|September 13, 2011
Summary
Short linear motifs (SLiMs) are crucial for complex interactomes, often found in disordered protein regions. Analyzing SLiM attributes reveals their conservation and structural properties, aiding in understanding cell signaling and network evolution.
Area of Science:
- Proteomics
- Bioinformatics
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Protein-protein interactions are mediated by diverse interfaces, including intrinsically disordered regions.
- Disordered regions, particularly short linear motifs (SLiMs), are vital for complex interactomes and cell signaling.
- SLiMs are evolutionarily plastic and mediate transient interactions, crucial for network evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the defining attributes of SLiMs using curated data from the Eukaryotic Linear Motif (ELM) database.
- To provide an overview of SLiM characteristics and their functional implications.
- To guide the development of bioinformatics tools for SLiM discovery.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of curated SLiM instances from the ELM database.
- Examination of SLiM conservation, evolutionary patterns, and structural properties.
- Correlation of SLiM attributes with their functional roles in protein-protein interactions.
Main Results:
- Functional SLiMs exhibit higher conservation than surrounding residues.
- SLiMs frequently undergo convergent evolution and occur in disordered protein regions.
- Bound SLiMs often form secondary structures, indicating specific binding interactions.
Conclusions:
- SLiMs are key components of the complex interactome, particularly within disordered regions.
- Conservation and secondary structure formation are key attributes of functional SLiMs.
- Future SLiM discovery efforts should focus on conserved residues in disordered regions with secondary structure propensity.
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