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Highly Selective Artificial Cholesteryl Crown Ether K + ‐Channels
Author(s) -
Sun Zhanhu,
Barboiu Mihail,
Legrand YvesMarie,
Petit Eddy,
Rotaru Alexandru
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201506430
Subject(s) - kcsa potassium channel , chemistry , dehydration , crown ether , 18 crown 6 , ion , ether , ion channel , crystallography , organic chemistry , biochemistry , receptor
The bacterial KcsA channel conducts K + cations at high rates while excluding Na + cations. Herein, we report an artificial ion‐channel formed by H‐bonded stacks of crown‐ethers, where K + cation conduction is highly preferred to Na + cations. The macrocycles aligned along the central pore surround the K + cations in a similar manner to the water around the hydrated cation, compensating for the energetic cost of their dehydration. In contrast, the Na + cation does not fit the macrocyclic binding sites, so its dehydration is not completely compensated. The present highly K + ‐selective macrocyclic channel may be regarded as a biomimetic of the KcsA channel.