The idea that the hydrophobic effect is the major driving force for processes such as protein folding and protein-protein association has prevailed in the biochemical literature for over half a century. It has recently become clear that the evidence in favor of the hydrophobic paradigm has totally dissipated. The dominance of the hydrophobic effect has been reduced into nothing but a myth. On the other hand, the new paradigm based on a host of hydrophilic effects has emerged. This new paradigm offers simple and straightforward answers to the long sought problems of protein folding and protein-protein association.

proteins, hydrophobic, hydrophilic, solvation, folding, association