A molecular anion pump

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Shao, Baihao; Fu, Heyifei; Aprahamian, Ivan
• 署名单位: Dartmouth College; University of Oxford; University of Oxford
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-9966
• DOI: 10.1126/science.adp3506
• 发表日期: 2024-08-02
• 页码: 544-549
• 关键词: light; transport; binding; RECOGNITION; switches; science

摘要

Pumping ions against a concentration gradient through protein-based transporters is a cornerstone of numerous biological processes. Mimicking this function by using artificial receptors remains a daunting challenge, mainly because of the difficulties in balancing between the requirement for high binding affinities and precise and on-demand ion capture and release properties. We report a trimeric hydrazone photoswitch-based receptor that converts light energy into work by actively transporting chloride anion against a gradient through a dichloromethane liquid membrane, functioning as a molecular pump. The system manifests ease of synthesis, bistability, excellent photoswitching properties, and superb ON-OFF binding properties (difference of up to six orders of magnitude).