protein folding

Introduction

The post-translational process of folding proteins into their biologically active conformations.

Structure

• see protein structure

Biochemistry

• unfolded or misfold proteins have exposed hydrophobic regions that render them prone to aggregation
• to avoid this, molecular chaperones bind to them to keep them soluble either until they reach their destination or are degraded by cellular proteases (ubiquitin-proteasome system)

More general terms

• biochemistry

Additional terms

• foldapathy
• protein structure