A water-soluble photoresponsive molecular glue, Azo-(18)Glue, consisting of a photochromic azobenzene core and two adhesive dendritic wedges with a total of 18 peripheral guanidinium ion (Gu(+)) pendants tightly adheres to the surface of a phospholipid membrane, even in buffer, via a multivalent salt-bridge formation with phosphate anions. A photomechanical motion of adhering Azo-(18)Glue possibly gives rise to dynamic structural disordering of the phospholipid membrane and activates transmembrane ion permeation. In sharp contrast, no activation of ion permeation results when poorly adhesive Azo-(6)Glue carrying only six Gu(+) pendants is used in place of Azo-(18)Glue.
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Suzuki et al. (2012) studied this question.
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