Enhancement of transport selectivity through nano-channels by non-specific competition.

ABSTRACT: The functioning of living cells requires efficient and selective transport of materials into and out of the cell, and between different cellular compartments. Much of this transport occurs through nano-scale channels that do not require large scale molecular re-arrangements (such as transition from a 'closed' to an 'open' state) and do not require a direct input of metabolic energy during transport. Nevertheless, these 'always open' channels are highly selective and pass only their cognate molecules, while efficiently excluding all others; indeed, these channels can efficiently transport specific molecules even in the presence of a vast excess of non-specific molecules. Such biological transporters have inspired the creation of artificial nano-channels. These channels can be used as nano-m

SUBMITTER: Zilman A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2883555 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature