We review a statistical mechanics treatment of the stability of globular proteins based on a simple model Hamiltonian taking into account protein self-interactions and protein–water interactions. The model contains both hot and cold folding transitions. In addition it predicts a critical point...

We explain the physical basis of a very simple hierarchical model for small globular proteins with water interactions. The water is supposed to accesses the protein interior in an “all-or-none” manner during the unfolding of the protein chain. As a consequence of this mechanism (somewhat...