The temperature dependence of the folding time
The prediction that emerges from
the BW theory is the that the
folding time will show a minimum
(i.e. the rate will show a maximum)
as a function of temperature. This
is shown in the figure. At high
temperature the folding decreases
due to the increased contribution
of the configurational entropy.
That is, at high enough temperature DG > 0 for the folding process
and the protein will unfold spontaneously. At sufficiently low
temperature diffusion is slowed and folding slows for this reason.
Optimal folding will occur when the transition temperature is above
the glass transition temperature.