Statistical Mechanics Model for Protein Folding

Abstract

We present a novel statistical mechanics formalism for the theoretical description of the process of protein folding$\leftrightarrow$unfolding transition in water environment. The formalism is based on the construction of the partition function of a protein obeying two-stage-like folding kinetics. Using the statistical mechanics model of solvation of hydrophobic hydrocarbons we obtain the partition function of infinitely diluted solution of proteins in water environment. The calculated dependencies of the protein heat capacities upon temperature are compared with the corresponding results of experimental measurements for staphylococcal nuclease and metmyoglobin.