Abstract:
The problem of the inter-relation between the structure and stability of proteins includes two main questions: firstly, how can we discover the molecular characteristics of the structure of proteins which are responsible for their stability? Secondly, how, knowing the general molecular causes of stability, can we alter the structure of a specific protein in order to increase its stability, i.e. to stabilise it? In the present review an attempt is made to present the current state of both the first (fundamental) and second (applied) aspects of this problem. The bibliography includes 250 references.