Proteins adopt one specific biochemically relevant conformation; this unique 3-dimensional structure specifies not only the protein function but how it interacts with other proteins and the components of the cell. When a protein folds incorrectly it is unable to perform its normal cellular functions. A secondary consequence is a toxic gain of function that is the hallmark of many protein misfolding maladies including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. The link between protein misfolding and human disease make the study and understanding of the protein folding relationship between sequence and structure a critically important question to be addressed.
