A Light‐Operated Molecular Cable Car for Gated Ion Transport

Inspired by the nontrivial and controlled movements of molecular machines, we report an azobenzene‐based molecular shuttle PR2, which can perform light‐gated ion transport across lipid membranes. The amphiphilicity and membrane‐spanning molecular length enable PR2 to insert into the bilayer membrane...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2021-06, Vol.60 (27), p.14836-14840
Main Authors: Wang, Chenxi, Wang, Shunkang, Yang, Huiting, Xiang, Yanxin, Wang, Xuebin, Bao, Chunyan, Zhu, Linyong, Tian, He, Qu, Da‐Hui
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
artificial ion transport
Azo compounds
Cable cars
Crown ethers
host–guest system
Ion transport
Ions
Isomerization
Light
light-gating
Lipid membranes
Lipids
Membranes
molecular machine
Molecular machines
rotaxanes
Stochasticity
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Summary:Inspired by the nontrivial and controlled movements of molecular machines, we report an azobenzene‐based molecular shuttle PR2, which can perform light‐gated ion transport across lipid membranes. The amphiphilicity and membrane‐spanning molecular length enable PR2 to insert into the bilayer membrane and efficiently transport K+ (EC50=4.1 μm) through the thermally driven stochastic shuttle motion of the crown ether ring along the axle. The significant difference in shuttling rate between trans‐PR2 and cis‐PR2 induced by molecular isomerization enables a light‐gated ion transport, i.e., ON/OFF in situ regulation of transport activity and single‐channel current. This work represents an example of using a photoswitchable molecular machine to realize gated ion transport, which demonstrates the value of molecular machines functioning in biomembranes. Inspired by natural rhodopsin, an azobenzene‐based molecular rotaxane was designed to insert into lipid membranes for the regulation of ion transport. Based on the shuttle transport mechanism, the significant difference in shuttling rate between trans‐ and cis‐isomer caused by molecular isomerization facilitates light‐gated ion transport.
ISSN:1433-7851
1521-3773
DOI:10.1002/anie.202102838