This lecture in Biochemistry addressees denaturation and the folding problem. Some of the means to denature a protein are mentioned, including temperature, pH, hydrophobic solvents, detergents and chaotropic reagents (urea and the guanidinium ion). How
proteins (which are synthesized like beads on a string) fold
to functional tertiary structures are examined with particular attention spent on ribonuclease A.. The steps and energetics of the folding
process are discussed.