Protein Folding, Function and Engineering

蛋白质是精致的分子机器--它们执行广泛的功能，从充当催化剂，到专门识别和结合各种分子，再到结构支持角色。线性蛋白质链中氨基酸的顺序，即初级序列，编码蛋白质如何折叠成其功能性的“天然”结构。尽管进行了广泛的研究，但初级序列决定蛋白质折叠和功能的机制细节仍然不清楚。确定这些机制非常重要，因为这些知识最终将使我们能够准确预测任何蛋白质在自然过程、疾病和生物技术中的行为。它将使我们有能力为任何想要的应用设计或设计蛋白质！

Proteins are exquisite molecular machines-they perform a vast range of functions, from acting as catalysts, to specifically recognizing and binding all kinds of molecules, to structural support roles. The order of amino acids in the linear protein chain, i.e. the primary sequence, encodes how the protein folds into its functional “native” structure. Despite extensive study, the details of the mechanisms by which primary sequence determines protein folding and function remain obscure. Defining these mechanisms is of tremendous importance because, ultimately, such knowledge will give us the ability to accurately predict the behaviour of any protein, in natural processes, in disease, and in biotechnology. It will give us the ability to engineer or design proteins for any desired application!