Supramolecular chemistry in lipid bilayer membranes

Abstract

Lipid bilayer membranes form compartments requisite for life. Interfacing supramolecular systems, including receptors, catalysts, signal transducers and ion transporters, enables the function of the membrane to be controlled in artificial...

A Photo-responsive Transmembrane Anion Transporter Relay

“…The activity of these transport proteins is regulated by external stimuli, including photons, small molecule binding, and membrane potential. The development of synthetic ion transporters such as self-assembled ion channels and mobile ion carriers has attracted significant interest, both as fundamental tools for investigating transmembrane ion transport and as potential therapeutics for diseases that arise from protein ion channel mis-regulation. − Stimuli-responsive synthetic transporters, as artificial analogues of their protein counterparts, have potential utility in spatio-temporally targeted applications but remain comparatively rare . Synthetic channels − and mobile ion carriers, − which can be switched between inactive and active states, are highly desirable for achieving reversible, stimuli-responsive control over ion transport, but are particularly challenging to develop.…”

Controlling transmembrane ion transport via photo-regulated carrier mobility

“…The development of synthetic ion channels and mobile carriers has attracted signicant interest, particularly for anions, [1][2][3] both as fundamental tools for investigating ion transport processes, but also as potential therapeutics. [4][5][6] Stimuli-responsive ion transporters have also begun to emerge, with the aim of achieving spatio-temporal control over transport. 7 Examples of responsive ion channels include those triggered by light, 8 membrane tension, 9 potential 10 and small molecule ligands.…”

Cyclodextrin-pillar[n]arene hybridized macrocyclic systems

“…19,20 In contrast to the water-soluble CD as a host molecule, 21,22 pillar[n]arene, [23][24][25] another pillar-like rigid macrocyclic compound repeatedly connected by methylene bridges (-CH 2 -) at the para-positions of hydroquinone/dialkoxybenzene (Chart 1), exhibits a hydrophobic core sandwiched between two functionalizable rims, 26 making it potentially having diverse hostguest interactions via the electron-donating cavity in organic and aqueous solvents. 4,27 After particular chemical modification on both rims with functional groups, 28,29 pillar[n]arene can become a promising candidate for applications to ionic channels, 30,31 nonporous adaptive crystalline materials, 32,33 diagnostic and cancer therapy, 34,35 as well as stimuli-responsive topological nanomaterials. [36][37][38] Thus, CD and pillar[n]arene have either similar or contrasting physicochemical properties and diverse behaviors in hostguest recognitions.…”