Inspired by mechanosensitive potassium channels found in nature, we developed a fluorinated amphiphilic cyclophane composed of fluorinated rigid aromatic units connected via flexible hydrophilic octa(ethylene glycol) chains. Microscopic and emission spectroscopic studies revealed that the cyclophane could be incorporated into the hydrophobic layer of the lipid bilayer membranes and self-assembled to form a supramolecular transmembrane ion channel. Current recording measurements using cyclophane-containing planer lipid bilayer membranes successfully demonstrated an efficient transmembrane ion transport. We also demonstrated that the ion transport property was sensitive to the mechanical forces applied to the membranes. In addition, ion transport assays using pH-sensitive fluorescence dye revealed that the supramolecular channel possesses potassium ion selectivity. We also performed all-atom hybrid quantum-mechanical/molecular mechanical simulations to assess the channel structures at atomic resolution and the mechanism of selective potassium ion transport. This research demonstrated the first example of a synthetic mechanosensitive potassium channel, which would open a new door to sensing and manipulating biologically important processes and purification of key materials in industries.

中文翻译：

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含氟两亲环烷形成的超分子力学敏感钾通道

受自然界中发现的机械敏感钾通道的启发，我们开发了一种氟化两亲环烷，该环烷由氟化刚性芳族单元通过柔性亲水八（乙二醇）链连接而成。显微镜和发射光谱研究表明，环烷可以掺入脂质双层膜的疏水层并自组装形成超分子跨膜离子通道。使用含环烷的平面脂质双层膜的电流记录测量成功地证明了有效的跨膜离子传输。我们还证明了离子传输特性对施加在膜上的机械力很敏感。此外，使用 pH 敏感荧光染料进行的离子传输测定表明，超分子通道具有钾离子选择性。我们还进行了全原子混合量子力学/分子力学模拟，以评估原子分辨率下的通道结构和选择性钾离子传输的机制。这项研究展示了合成机械敏感钾通道的第一个例子，这将为传感和操纵生物重要过程以及工业中关键材料的纯化打开一扇新的大门。