Scaling of folding properties in simple models of proteins

TL;DR

This study investigates how protein folding times and stability scale with size using simplified lattice models, revealing non-universal power-law growth and size-related stability deterioration.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the size dependence of folding properties using lattice Go models across different geometries.

Findings

Folding times grow as power laws with system size.

Scaling exponents are not universal.

Thermodynamic stability decreases with size.

Abstract

Scaling of folding properties of proteins is studied in a toy system -- the lattice Go model with various two- and three- dimensional geometries of the maximally compact native states. Characteristic folding times grow as power laws with the system size. The corresponding exponents are not universal. Scaling of the thermodynamic stability also indicates size-related deterioration of the folding properties.