Fluctuation-Driven Molecular Transport in an Asymmetric Membrane Channel

Details Fluctuation-Driven Molecular Transport in an Asymmetric Membrane Channel Fluctuation-Driven Molecular Transport in an Asymmetric Membrane Channel

2004-10-27

arxiv.org/abs/physics/0410254v1

Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 238102 (2004)

Physics

Biological Physics

REVTeX4, 4 pages, 3 figures; Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett

Scientific paper

10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.238102

Channel proteins, that selectively conduct molecules across cell membranes, often exhibit an asymmetric structure. By means of a stochastic model, we argue that channel asymmetry in the presence of non-equilibrium fluctuations, fueled by the cell's metabolism as observed recently, can dramatically influence the transport through such channels by a ratchet-like mechanism. For an aquaglyceroporin that conducts water and glycerol we show that a previously determined asymmetric glycerol potential leads to enhanced inward transport of glycerol, but for unfavorably high glycerol concentrations also to enhanced outward transport that protects a cell against poisoning.

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