Preferential adsorption of hydrophobic-polar model proteins on patterned surfaces

We study the adsorption of a single hydrophobic-polar (HP) model protein under the influence of a flat but specially designed surface. A folded HP model protein is brought to the surface with a designed pattern consisting of certain attractive and repulsive sites for the different monomers (amino acids). In contrast to the deformation of a random sequence that is continuous, deformation of any protein-like sequences is unlikely and an energy gap is associated with it. The surface with a certain wavelength of pattern attracts a certain type of folded structure preferentially and the free energy of the combined system is reduced. The model presented here represents a minimal theoretical model for protein recognition.