Abstract
In a statistical approach to protein structure analysis, Miyazawa and Jernigan derived a matrix of inter-residue contact energies between different types of amino acids. Using the method of eigenvalue decomposition, we find that the Miyazawa-Jernigan matrix can be accurately reconstructed from its first two principal component vectors as , with constant 's, and 20 q values associated with the 20 amino acids. This regularity is due to hydrophobic interactions and a force of demixing, the latter obeying Hildebrand's solubility theory of simple liquids.
- Received 5 December 1996
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.79.765
©1997 American Physical Society