Foldamer-Based Potassium Channels with High Ion Selectivity and Transport Activity

Small molecules that independently perform natural channel-like functions show greatly potential in the treatment of human diseases. Taking advantage of aromatic helical scaffolds, we develop a kind of foldamer-based ion channels with lumen size varying from 3.8 to 2.3 Å through a sequence substitution strategy. Our results clearly elucidate the importance of channel size in ion transport selectivity in molecular detail, eventually leading to the discoveries of the best artificial K+ channel by far and a rare sodium-preferential channel as well. High K+ selectivity and transport activity together make foldamers promising in therapeutic applications.