Primary Peptide Folding Dynamics Observed with Ultrafast Temperature Jump

Fastest folding: An ultrafast laser temperature jump (T-jump) induces folding and unfolding of Wh5 (see picture), the shortest possible α-helical peptide. Using time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, the folding time of this peptide was found to span from less than one nanosecond to a few nanoseconds, redefining the meaning of ultrafast dynamics in protein and peptide folding.