Protein folding as a nonlinear nonequilibrium thermodynamic process

Abstract

Biofurcational theory of protein folding is developed describing the process of formation of protein native structure as a sequence of non-equilibrium irreversible fluctuations, specific for a particular protein. The model gives explanation to all characteristic features of the folding process: stochastic mechanism, short time and precision of proteins self-assembling. A constructive role of entropy in the formation of a highly ordered structure out of disorder is discussed. A numerical method of a priori calculations of polypeptide structures basing on principles of bifractional folding model is presented.