Hopping-Mediated Anion Transport through a Mannitol-Based Rosette Ion Channel

Artificial
anion selective ion channels with single-file multiple
anion-recognition sites are rare. Here, we have designed, by hypothesis,
a small molecule that self-organizes to form a barrel rosette ion
channel in the lipid membrane environment. Being amphiphilic in nature,
this molecule forms nanotubes through intermolecular hydrogen bond
formation, while its hydrophobic counterpart is stabilized by hydrophobic
interactions in the membrane. The anion selectivity of the channel
was investigated by fluorescence-based vesicle assay and planar bilayer
conductance measurements. The ion transport by a modified hopping
mechanism was demonstrated by molecular dynamics simulation studies.