title: Structural disorder and dynamics of elastin.
abstract: Elastin is a self-assembling, extracellular-matrix protein that is the major provider of tissue elasticity. Here we review structural studies of elastin from over four decades, and draw together evidence for solution flexibility and conformational disorder that is inherent in all levels of structural organization. The characterization of disorder is consistent with an entropy-driven mechanism of elastic recoil. We conclude that conformational disorder is a constitutive feature of elastin structure and function.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada. l.muiznieks@gmail.com
authors.forename: Lisa D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Muiznieks
authors.forename: Anthony S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Fred W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Keeley
mesh_terms: D004549:Elastin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D011487:Protein Conformation; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D004549:Elastin