Thermodynamic procedure to synthesize heteropolymers that can renature to recognize a given target molecule.
We suggest a procedure to synthesize polymers with characteristics similar to those observed in globular proteins: renaturability and the existence of an "active site" capable of specifically recognizing a given target molecule. This procedure is investigated by computer simulation, which finds a yield of up to 65%. We believe that, in principle, this scheme can be realized in vitro. The applicability of this approach as a model of prebiotic synthesis in vivo is also discussed.
Pande
V S
VS
Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139.
Grosberg
A Y
AY
Tanaka
T
T
D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D003198:Computer Simulation; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011336:Probability; D017510:Protein Folding; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D013816:Thermodynamics
D011108:Polymers; D011506:Proteins