biostudies-literatureUnknown18(2)Pfeffermann JWe report a molecular strategy for precise, reversible, and noninvasive photoregulation of ion-selective membrane transport. Embedding azobenzene-containing photolipids into bilayers enables nanoscale control over the interaction and mobility of small-molecule ion carriers. Photoisomerization alone produces only minor changes in baseline conductance, consistent with the limited influence of small bilayer thickness variations on ion permeability, yet it elicits striking responses in the presence of mobile carriers. A newly designed protonophore exhibits proton-selective currents that increase by up to 200-fold under UV illumination and revert to baseline within milliseconds upon blue light. These effects cannot be explained by thickness or fluidity changes. Instead, they arise from light-deNanoscale779-789https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12694728biostudies-literatureOptical control of carrier-mediated ion transport by photoswitchable lipids.PMC12694728Pohl PThorn-Seshold OGlasnov TPfeffermann JYadav RfalseOptical control of carrier-mediated ion transport by photoswitchable lipids.We report a molecular strategy for precise, reversible, and noninvasive photoregulation of ion-selective membrane transport. Embedding azobenzene-containing photolipids into bilayers enables nanoscale control over the interaction and mobility of small-molecule ion carriers. Photoisomerization alone produces only minor changes in baseline conductance, consistent with the limited influence of small bilayer thickness variations on ion permeability, yet it elicits striking responses in the presence of mobile carriers. A newly designed protonophore exhibits proton-selective currents that increase by up to 200-fold under UV illumination and revert to baseline within milliseconds upon blue light. These effects cannot be explained by thickness or fluidity changes. Instead, they arise from light-de2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Jan2026-07-15T14:31:25.848Z2026-07-06T03:08:40.914ZS-EPMC126947284137008710.1039/d5nr04234h