Structural Perspectives on the Androgen Receptor, the Elusive Shape-Shifter

The androgen receptor (AR) is a nuclear receptor involved in male secondary sex characteristics and various diseases, including prostate cancer and androgenic alopecia. AR's structure includes two intrinsically disordered regions and two ordered domains, allowing it to bind a wide range of ligands and partners. Mutations in AR can lead to drug resistance in prostate cancer by widening the ligand binding domain, enabling promiscuous binding. AR's structural plasticity is crucial for its function and adaptability, but can also contribute to disease states. Further structural and biochemical studies are needed to fully understand AR's complex regulation.