Ac lass of artificial K + channels formed by pillararene-cyclodextrin hybrid molecules have been designed and synthesized.T hese channels efficiently inserted into lipid bilayers and displayed high selectivity for K + over Na + in fluorescence and electrophysiological experiments.The cation transport selectivity of the artificial channels is tunable by varying the length of the linkers between pillararene and cyclodexrin. The shortest channel showed specific transmembrane transport preference for K + over all alkali metal ions (selective sequence:K + > Cs + > Rb + > Na + > Li + ), and is rarely observed for artificial K + channels.T he high selectivity of this artificial channel for K + over Na + ensures specific transmembrane translocation of K + ,a nd generated stable membrane potential across lipid bilayers.

Five unimolecular channels with different lengths are presented. The varying length of these channels has significant impact on their transmembrane transport properties, which are directly correlated with their antimicrobial activity and inversely correlated with their haemolytic toxicity. By further structural optimization, these new channels could reach high antimicrobial activity and very low haemolytic toxicity, with the potential to serve as systemic antibiotics.

A class of unimolecular channels formed by pillararene-gramicidin hybrid molecules has been designed and synthesized. The charge status of the peptide moiety in artificial channels has significant impact on their...

Ac lass of artificial K + channels formed by pillararene-cyclodextrin hybrid molecules have been designed and synthesized.T hese channels efficiently inserted into lipid bilayers and displayed high selectivity for K + over Na + in fluorescence and electrophysiological experiments.The cation transport selectivity of the artificial channels is tunable by varying the length of the linkers between pillararene and cyclodexrin. The shortest channel showed specific transmembrane transport preference for K + over all alkali metal ions (selective sequence:K + > Cs + > Rb + > Na + > Li + ), and is rarely observed for artificial K + channels.T he high selectivity of this artificial channel for K + over Na + ensures specific transmembrane translocation of K + ,a nd generated stable membrane potential across lipid bilayers.