KINETICS OF A GAUSSIAN RANDOM COPOLYMER AS A PROTOTYPE FOR PROTEIN-FOLDING

We develop the Gaussian self-consistent method for studying kinetics o f random copolymers. For a fixed complexion of disorder the system is described by time- and disorder-dependent effective potentials. The se lf-consistent equations are then directly averaged over the quenched d isorder, yielding a chain of differential equations with an enforced c losure. This procedure allows us to avoid the use of the replica trick . Our method naturally incorporates the phase separation and glass ord er parameters and thus permits study of the complete phase diagram of the model. We believe that our approach may shed light on the kinetica l aspects of the protein folding puzzle.