biostudies-literatureDebnath MDBT/Wellcome Trust India AllianceWellcome TrustDepartment of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology469https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6981123biostudies-literatureUnknown11(1)The selective transport of ions across cell membranes, controlled by membrane proteins, is critical for a living organism. DNA-based systems have emerged as promising artificial ion transporters. However, the development of stable and selective artificial ion transporters remains a formidable task. We herein delineate the construction of an artificial ionophore using a telomeric DNA G-quadruplex (h-TELO) and a lipophilic guanosine (MG). MG stabilizes h-TELO by non-covalent interactions and, along with the lipophilic side chain, promotes the insertion of h-TELO within the hydrophobic lipid membrane. Fluorescence assays, electrophysiology measurements and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that MG/h-TELO preferentially transports K⁺-ions in a stimuli-responsive manner. The prefNature communicationsIonophore constructed from non-covalent assembly of a G-quadruplex and liponucleoside transports K⁺-ion across biological membranes.PMC6981123A/S/18/2/503986IA/S/18/2/503986DST/SJF/CSA-01/2015-16Chaudhuri RDash JChakraborty SDebnath MJana BKumar YPfalseIonophore constructed from non-covalent assembly of a G-quadruplex and liponucleoside transports K⁺-ion across biological membranes.The selective transport of ions across cell membranes, controlled by membrane proteins, is critical for a living organism. DNA-based systems have emerged as promising artificial ion transporters. However, the development of stable and selective artificial ion transporters remains a formidable task. We herein delineate the construction of an artificial ionophore using a telomeric DNA G-quadruplex (h-TELO) and a lipophilic guanosine (MG). MG stabilizes h-TELO by non-covalent interactions and, along with the lipophilic side chain, promotes the insertion of h-TELO within the hydrophobic lipid membrane. Fluorescence assays, electrophysiology measurements and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that MG/h-TELO preferentially transports K⁺-ions in a stimuli-responsive manner. The pref2020-01-01T00:00:00Z2020 Jan2026-05-07T12:45:50.95Z2020-05-22T09:02:57ZS-EPMC69811233198060810.1038/s41467-019-13834-7