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Voltage-dependent and multi-state ionic channels induced by trichorzianines, anti-fungal peptides related to
G Molle1, H Duclohier, G Spach
1Polymères, Biopolymères et Membranes, UA 500 CNRS, Faculté des Sciences de Rouen, France.
Abstract:
The ionophore properties of two peptaibols of the trichorzianine family have been investigated in planar lipid bilayers and compared to those of alamethicin. Macroscopic conductance experiments reveal voltage-dependent channels only in the thinnest membranes and a greater efficiency of the neutral analog. In single-channel experiments, a multi-state behaviour, consistent with the usual barrel-stave model, is disclosed but the discrete current fluctuations are much more rapid than for alamethicin. The results indicate a stringent requirement for the helix length/bilayer thickness match in agreement with a previous model and suggest the design of new synthetic peptides.