An Ion Conductor That Recognizes Osmotically-Stressed Phospholipid Bilayers

Abstract

A synthetic ion conductor (1), derived from cholic acid and spermine, has been found capable of recognizing osmotic stress in liposomes made from 1,2-dipalmitoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine [(C16:1)PC]. Thus, when large unilamellar vesicles of (C16:1)PC are placed under hypotonic conditions, the Na+/Li+ transport activity of 1 increases by as much as 1 order of magnitude, relative to isotonic condition