The GroE chaperonin system in Escherichia coli comprises GroEL and GroES and facilitates
ATP-dependent protein folding in vivo and in vitro. Proteins with very similar sequences and
structures can differ in their dependence on GroEL for efficient folding. One potential but
unverified source for GroEL dependence is frustration, wherein not all interactions in the
native state are optimized energetically, thereby potentiating slow folding and misfolding.
Here, we chose enhanced green fluorescent protein as a model system and subjected it to …