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Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Protein Target Prediction and Validation of Small Molecule Compound
Published on: February 23, 2024
Towards quantitative predictions in cell biology using chemical properties of proteins
Michele Vendruscolo1, Gian Gaetano Tartaglia
1Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB21EW, UK.
Abstract:
It has recently been suggested that the concentrations of proteins in the cell are tuned towards their critical values, and that the alteration of this balance often results in misfolding diseases. This concept is intriguing because the in vivo concentrations of proteins are closely regulated by complex cellular processes, while their critical concentrations are primarily determined by the chemical characters of their amino acid sequences. We discuss here how the presence of a link between the upper levels of in vivo concentrations and critical concentrations offers an opportunity to make quantitative predictions in cell biology based on the chemical properties of proteins.
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