Controlling ionic conductivity through transprotein electropores in human aquaporin 4: a non-equilibrium
Mario Bernardi1, Paolo Marracino, Micaela Liberti
1Dept. of Information Engineering, Electronics & Telecommunications, La Sapienza University, 00184, Rome, Italy. paolomarracino@hotmail.com micaela.liberti@uniroma1.it francesca.apollonio@uniroma1.it.
Abstract:
Electroporation is a matter of intensive ongoing research interest, and a much-neglected topic in trans-membrane proteins, particularly in view of such promising potential applications in medicine and biotechnology. In particular, selected such novel and exciting applications are predicated on controlling ionic conductivity through electro-pores. Here, we scrutinise the mechanisms of ions' electric conductivity, by means of structural rearrangements, through quasi-stable electro-pores through human-AQP4 as a well-representative prototype of trans-membrane ionic conduction, achieving exquisite control over ionic permeability manipulated by the application of intense static electric fields.
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