The Universe of Protein Folds

Abstract

When I was applying for graduate school, a crystallographer lent me her copy of Jane Richardson’s 1971 article, “Protein Anatomy.” And thus began, as it has for many scientists, an ongoing fascination with the ways that protein chains fold. Her article is a perfect combination of art and science, bringing to life a complex but endlessly intriguing subject. The paper marks a cornerstone moment in the study of protein structure—the time when enough structures of different proteins had been solved to start developing an understanding of the general principles that are involved in folding a random, tangled chain into a beautifully ordered, functional protein.