A DNA-inspired synthetic ion channel based on G-C base pairing

A dinucleoside containing guanosine and cytidine at the end groups has been prepared using a modular one-pot azide-alkyne cycloaddition. Single channel analysis showed that this dinucleoside predominantly forms large channels with 2.9 nS conductance for the transport of potassium ions across a phospholipid bilayer. Transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and circular dichroism spectroscopy studies reveal that this dinucleoside can spontaneously associate through Watson-Crick canonical H-bonding and π-π stacking to form stable supramolecular nanostructures. Most importantly, the ion channel activity of this G-C dinucleoside can be inhibited using the nucleobase cytosine.