Mechanosensitive Synthetic Ion Channels Operating in Lipid Bilayers

This paper describes the development of an artificial mechanosensitive ion channel that mimics the function of natural membrane proteins. The designed molecules feature a one-dimensional architecture consisting of alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments. Upon incorporation into a bilayer membrane, the hydrophobic segments self-assemble to form a functional ion channel. Due to the relatively weak interactions between the hydrophobic segments, the assembly state is sensitive to changes in membrane tension caused by osmotic pressure, resulting in modulation of ion permeability. Through rational molecular design, both responsiveness to the membrane tension and ion selectivity have been successfully achieved. The structural design and functional behaviors of these artificial mechanosensitive ion channels are overviewed.