Eli5 : protein folding problem

Question

Eli5 : protein folding problem

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Answer 1

Proteins are long (sometimes *really* long) chains of smaller building blocks. The building blocks are called amino acids. Because of all the potentially complicated chemistry between the building blocks (see /u/BrownBoi377 ‘s comment for details), the chain of amino acids folds up into a 3D shape depending on what amino acids you have in what order. The shape of the protein largely governs what it does, hence is really important.

The protein folding *problem* is calculating what shape the protein will end up being just based on knowing it’s “recipe” (how many amino acids, which ones, and in what order).