Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Barboiu, Mihail
• Le Duc, Yann
• Gilles, Arnaud
• Cazade, Pierre-André
• Michau, Mathieu
• Marie Legrand, Yves
• van der Lee, Arie
• Coasne, Benoît
• Parvizi, Paria
• Post, Joshua
• Fyles, Thomas

Titel

An artificial primitive mimic of the Gramicidin-A channel

Ist Teil von

• Nature communications, 2014-06, Vol.5 (1), p.4142-4142, Article 4142

Ort / Verlag

London: Nature Publishing Group UK

Erscheinungsjahr

2014

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Gramicidin A (gA) is the simplest known natural channel, and important progress in improving conduction activity has previously been obtained with modified natural gAs. However, simple artificial systems mimicking the gA functions are unknown. Here we show that gA can be mimicked using a simple synthetic triazole or ‘T-channel’ forming compound (TCT), having similar constitutional functions as the natural gAs. As in gA channels, the carbonyl moieties of the TCT, which point toward the T-channel core and surround the transport direction, are solvated by water. The net-dipolar alignment of water molecules along the chiral pore surfaces influences the conduction of protons/ions, envisioned to diffuse along dipolar hydrophilic pathways. Theoretical simulations and experimental assays reveal that the conduction through the T-channel, similar to that in gA, presents proton/water conduction, cation/anion selectivity and large open channel-conductance states. T-channels—associating supramolecular chirality with dipolar water alignment—represent an artificial primitive mimic of gA. Gramicidin A pores are important natural structures for the transport of ions through biological membranes. Here, the authors show that this functionality can be mimicked using an artificial transmembrane channel formed of synthetic pore-forming compounds.