Protein Folding: Principles and Thermodynamics

This lecture covers the principles of protein folding, focusing on the conformational changes in the peptide backbone, the role of backbone torsion angles in determining protein structure, and the Anfinsen Experiment. It also delves into thermodynamics, discussing energy transfer in chemical reactions, the first law of thermodynamics, and the concept of heat capacity. The Boltzmann distribution and energetic levels are explored, highlighting how molecules populate different energy levels. The lecture concludes with a discussion on NMR structures and the co-existence of proteins in multiple conformational states.