Functional and structural studies of synthetic gramicidin-hybrid ion channels

ORGN 7

Ulrich Koert, koert@chemie.uni-marburg.de, Jochen Pfeifer, Loay Al-Momani, and Philipp Reiss. Department of Chemistry, Philipps university, Hans Meerwein Strasse, Marburg, 35032, Germany
The channel-mediated transport of ions through a membrane is a biological key function. Here we report on progress in synthesis, functional as well as structural analysis of gramicidin-hybrid channels. Important topics are ion selectivity, channel-dwell time, asymmetric incorporation and function in the phospholipid bilayer. Synthetic building blocks such as THF amino acids and cyclohexylether amino acids were synthesized and incorporated into the gramicidin structure in order to modify the channel function. Aza-crown ethers were covalently linked to the channel entrance and exit in order to modulate the selectivity for monovalent cations.

 

Membrane Active, Synthetic Organic Compounds
8:00 AM-12:10 PM, Sunday, 28 August 2005 Washington DC Convention Center -- Ballroom C, Oral

Division of Organic Chemistry

The 230th ACS National Meeting, in Washington, DC, Aug 28-Sept 1, 2005