Summary
De novo designed proteins have complex, multiphasic folding pathways not found in naturally occurring proteins (1). This was observed using (NMR) and stopped-flow kinetics on the designed protein Top7. The authors conclude that smooth protein folding landscapes are the product of natural selection.
1.
Watters AL, Deka P, Corrent C, Callender D, Varani G, Sosnick T, et al. The Highly Cooperative Folding of Small Naturally Occurring Proteins Is Likely the Result of Natural Selection. Cell. 2007;128(3):613–24. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2006.12.042