| Abstract: | The nucleation of a helical sequence from a random chain of the polypeptide molecule as well as the nucleation of a random-coil sequence from the helical conformation of the molecule are considered simultaneously in evaluating the partition function of the system. This partition function is then used for a comparative analysis of the theories of Zimm and Bragg, Gibbs and DiMarzio, and Lifson and Roig. It is shown that while all three account properly for the essential nature of the nucleation phenomenon the first considers in detail the random-coil nucleation, the second emphasizes the details of the helix nucleation, while the third neglects the fine details of both in a symmetric way. |
