Potassium channels play critical roles in many physiological processes, providing a selective
permeation route for K + ions in and out of a cell, by employing a carefully designed …

… ∆ U is related to the charge imbalance through the equation ∆U= ∆ q / C. Because the
capacitance of the bilayer is relatively small (on the order of ~ 1 μF cm − 2 [27], [28], [35], [37]), an …

Potassium channels selectively conduct K + ions across cellular membranes with extraordinary
efficiency. Their selectivity filter exhibits four binding sites with approximately equal …

… (C) Time average of the electrostatic potential U along the z axis (0–50 ns) for wild-type
PorB at 1 M NaCl, arising from imbalances Dq between 0 and 12 elementary charges (color-…

… Consistent with results from biophysical experiments 28 and the crystal structure of a
homologue (U. Okada et al., manuscript in preparation), MacB forms a homodimer in the MacAB–…

The seeming contradiction that K + channels conduct K + ions at maximal throughput rates
while not permeating slightly smaller Na + ions has perplexed scientists for decades. …

Multicellular organisms fight bacterial and fungal infections by producing peptide-derived
broad-spectrum antibiotics. These host-defense peptides compromise the integrity of microbial …

Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are essential for terminating glutamatergic synaptic
transmission. They are not only coupled glutamate/Na + /H + /K + transporters but also …

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) form the largest class of membrane proteins in
humans and the targets of most present drugs. Membrane potential is one of the defining …

The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) is the major protein in the outer mitochondrial
membrane, where it mediates transport of ATP and ADP. Changes in its permeability, …