Inversion of the Hydrophobic/Hydrophilic Paradigm Demystifies the Protein Folding and Self-Assembly of Problems

Arieh Ben-Naim^1,

¹Department of Physical Chemistry The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Cite this paper:
Arieh Ben-Naim. Inversion of the Hydrophobic/Hydrophilic Paradigm Demystifies the Protein Folding and Self-Assembly of Problems. International Journal of Physics. 2013; 1(3):66-71. doi: 10.12691/ijp-1-3-2

Abstract

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.

Keywords:
proteins hydrophobic hydrophilic solvation folding association

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