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. 1995 Sep 12;92(19):8798–8802. doi: 10.1073/pnas.92.19.8798

On constructing folding heteropolymers.

M Ebeling 1, W Nadler 1
PMCID: PMC41054  PMID: 7568020

Abstract

Simplified models of the protein-folding process have led to valuable insights into the generic properties of the folding of heteropolymers. On the basis of theoretical arguments, Shakhnovich and Gutin [(1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 7195-7199] have proposed a specific method to generate folding sequences for one of these. Here we present a model of folding in heteropolymers that is comparable in simplicity but different in spirit to the one studied by Shakhnovich and Gutin. In our model, the proposed recipe for constructing folding sequence fails. We find that, as a rule, the construction of folding sequences is impossible to achieve by looking at the native conformation only. Rather, competing conformations have to be taken into account too. An evolutionary algorithm that generates folding sequences by optimizing both stability of the native state and folding time is described. Remarkably, this algorithm produces, among others, sequences that fold reproducibly to metastable states.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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