Synthetic,Sodium-Ion-Conducting Tris(Macrocycle) Channels that Function in a Phospholipid Bilayer Membrane: An Overview |
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| Authors: | Stephen L De Wall Eric S Meadows Clare L Murray Hossein Shabany George W Gokel |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Bioorganic Chemistry Program and Dept. of Molecular Biology &2. Pharmacology , Washington University School of Medicine , 660 South Euclid Ave., Campus Box 8103, St. Louis, MO, 63110, U.S.A. |
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| Abstract: | Abstract A family of tris(macrocyclic) compounds of the form sidearm<N18N>Cn<N18N>Cn<N18N>sidearm, has been prepared, characterized chemically, and assayed by dynamic 23Na-NMR for the ability to transport sodium cations in a mixed phosphatidylglycerol/phosphatidylcholine vesicle system. A number of control experiments have been conducted that reinforce the hypothesis that cation transport occurs by a channel mechanism. The tris(macrocycle) channels proved to be functional at a level of 25–50% of that found for the natural pentadecapeptide channel gramicidin. Fluorescence data confirm the expected position of the channel within the bilayer. |
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| Keywords: | Ionophore channel bilayer membrane cation transport |
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