Unified perspective on proteins: A physics approach

TL;DR

This paper presents a physics-based framework that models a simplified physical system exhibiting protein-like properties, offering insights into protein folding, amyloid formation, and interactions, with implications for understanding natural selection.

Contribution

It introduces a unified physics-based approach to explain various protein behaviors, bridging gaps between different phenomena and evolutionary implications.

Findings

A simplified physical system mimics protein properties

Unified framework for folding, amyloid formation, and interactions

Implications for natural selection and evolution

Abstract

We study a physical system which, while devoid of the complexity one usually associates with proteins, nevertheless displays a remarkable array of protein-like properties. The constructive hypothesis that this striking resemblance is not accidental leads not only to a unified framework for understanding protein folding, amyloid formation and protein interactions but also has implications for natural selection.