title: Solvation of proteins: linking thermodynamics to geometry.
abstract: We calculate the solvation free energy of proteins in the tube model of Banavar and Maritan [Rev. Mod. Phys. 75, 23 (2003)10.1103/RevModPhys.75.23] using morphological thermodynamics which is based on Hadwiger's theorem of integral geometry. Thereby we extend recent results by Snir and Kamien [Science 307, 1067 (2005)10.1126/science.1106243] to hard-sphere solvents at finite packing fractions and obtain new conclusions. Depending on the solvent properties, parameter regions are identified where the beta sheet, the optimal helix, or neither is favored.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hansen-Goos
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mecke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dietrich
mesh_terms: D008433:Mathematics; D008956:Models, Chemical; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D012997:Solvents; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D012997:Solvents