MODELING PROTEIN-FOLDING - THE BEAUTY AND POWER OF SIMPLICITY

It is argued that simplified models capture key features of protein st ability and folding, whereas more detailed models may be more appropri ate for protein structure prediction, A brief overview of experimental and theoretical results is presented that corroborates these points, I argue that statistical models capture the key principle of protein s tability - cooperativity - and therefore provide a reasonable estimate of protein free energy whereas more detailed but less physically tran sparent calculations fail to do so, I also explain that the previously published claim that simple models give predictions that are inconsis tent with experiments on polypeptide block-copolymers is based on inco mplete analysis of such experiments.