Blockable Zn10 L15 Ion Channels through Subcomponent Self-Assembly

Cally J E Haynes; Jinbo Zhu; Catalin Chimerel; Silvia Hernández-Ainsa; Imogen A Riddell; Tanya K Ronson; Ulrich F Keyser; Jonathan R Nitschke

doi:10.1002/anie.201709544

Blockable Zn₁₀ L₁₅ Ion Channels through Subcomponent Self-Assembly

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2017 Nov 27;56(48):15388-15392. doi: 10.1002/anie.201709544. Epub 2017 Nov 3.

Authors

Cally J E Haynes¹, Jinbo Zhu², Catalin Chimerel², Silvia Hernández-Ainsa², Imogen A Riddell^{1

3}, Tanya K Ronson¹, Ulrich F Keyser², Jonathan R Nitschke¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
² Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thompson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK.
³ Current address: School of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.

PMID: 29024266
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201709544

Abstract

Metal-organic anion channels based on Zn₁₀ L₁₅ pentagonal prisms have been prepared by subcomponent self-assembly. The insertion of these prisms into lipid membranes was investigated by ion-current and fluorescence measurements. The channels were found to mediate the transport of Cl^- anions through planar lipid bilayers and into vesicles. Tosylate anions were observed to bind and plug the central channels of the prisms in the solid state and in solution. In membranes, dodecyl sulfate blocked chloride transport through the central channel. Our Zn₁₀ L₁₅ prism thus inserts into lipid bilayers to turn on anion transport, which can then be turned off through addition of the blocker dodecyl sulfate.

Keywords: lipid membranes; metal-organic cages; subcomponent self-assembly; supramolecular chemistry; synthetic ion channels.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't