title: The entropic tension of protein loops.
abstract: A large survey of reliably known structures supports the hypothesis that protein loops can behave like elastic strings, and has enabled a parameter describing the entropically generated tensions to be determined. Such tensions may be of major importance in the folding process; here they are discussed mainly in the context of the final collapse of a molten globule into the native structure, though they must also play a dominant rôle in the earlier development of the tertiary fold.
authors: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors: D J
authors: DJ
authors: Thomas
mesh_terms: D008433:Mathematics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins