Interaction prediction and classification of PDZ domains

Background  

PDZ domain is a well-conserved, structural protein domain found in hundreds of signaling proteins that are otherwise unrelated. PDZ domains can bind to the C-terminal peptides of different proteins and act as glue, clustering different protein complexes together, targeting specific proteins and routing these proteins in signaling pathways. These domains are classified into classes I, II and III, depending on their binding partners and the nature of bonds formed. Binding specificities of PDZ domains are very crucial in order to understand the complexity of signaling pathways. It is still an open question how these domains recognize and bind their partners.