Peptide and protein folding

Ab initio peptide folding, and its role in the reductionistic approach towa rds the understanding of protein folding are discussed from the points of v iew of past, present and possible future developments. It is believed that after the initial holistic approach, we are now at a ne w epoch, which will be dominated by reductionism. New quantitative mathemat ical models will be the result of the reductionistic approach that will lea d toward a new, more sophisticated holistic era. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.