Research Progress in Designing Artificial Water Channels Based on Aquaporin

doi:10.19894/j.issn.1000-0518.230025

Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry ›› 2023, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (9): 1245-1257.DOI: 10.19894/j.issn.1000-0518.230025

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Research Progress in Designing Artificial Water Channels Based on Aquaporin

Dao-Zhen CHENG¹, Zhen-Ran WANG², Hua-Yuan SHANGGUAN³^,⁴()

^1.College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering，Shaanxi University of Science and Technology，Xi'an 710021，China
^2.Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering，Southwest Jiaotong University，Chengdu 611756，China
^3.Institute of Urban Environment，Chinese Academy of Sciences，Xiamen 361021，China
^4.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences，Beijing 100049，China

Received:2023-02-15 Accepted:2023-07-13 Published:2023-09-01 Online:2023-09-14
Contact: Hua-Yuan SHANGGUAN
About author:hyshangguan@iue.ac.cn

Abstract

Abstract:

Aquaporins （AQPs） are membrane proteins that mediate the transport of water molecules with high selectivity and permeability to water molecules. Artificial water channels are generally assembled from various organic or inorganic materials （such as carbon materials， organic compounds， and peptides） and designed to mimic the structure and function of natural aquaporins. This paper describes the types， structures and their permeation mechanisms of natural， bio-inspired and synthetic water channels， and reviews and compares the research progress of artificial water channels such as single molecules， supramolecules and carbon nanomaterials over the last two decades. This paper elaborates on the influence of different artificial water channel material properties on the structure and function， and focuses on the shortcomings of artificial water channels and the challenges of developing new artificial water channels， and finally looks into the future prospects of artificial water channels.

Key words: Aquaporin, Functional materials, Artificial water channel, Structure-function, Efficient transport

CLC Number:

O629.7

Dao-Zhen CHENG, Zhen-Ran WANG, Hua-Yuan SHANGGUAN. Research Progress in Designing Artificial Water Channels Based on Aquaporin[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry, 2023, 40(9): 1245-1257.

Figures/Tables 8

Fig.1 （a） Schematic diagram of various components in the cell membrane， mainly consisting of lipids and transmembrane protein channels［7］；（b） Schematic diagram of water transport through water channels embedded in liposomes［8］；（c） Side view of Aquaporin-1 （AQP1）（hourglass shape）［9］；（d） AQP1 tetramer［9］；（e） Water transport pattern in AQP1 （amino acid distribution in the inner wall of AQP1 channel）［2］

Fig.2 （a） β-Helix formed by folding of gramicidin A （gA）［9］；（b） Schematic representation of the orientation of water molecules in the three cases of gA monomer， transition state and after gA dimer formation［9，13］

Table 1 Comparison of the characteristics of different types of artificial water channels and natural AQPs

Name	Type	Hydrophilicity	Diameter/?	Modified or not	Polar or charged group	Permeability （H₂O/s/channel）	Selectivity	Distortion	Large area integration	Ref.
4-LA	Single-molecule	Hydrophobic	3~6.5	Yes	Yes	2.7×10¹⁰	Only Water	No	No	［5］
Aquafoldmer-1	Single-molecule	Hydrophilic	2.8	No	No	3×10⁹	Only Water	No	No	［8］
PAH［4］	Single-molecule	Hydrophobic	3~5	No	No	3.7×10⁹	Water and Proton	No	No	［18］
PAPs	Self-assembly	Unreported	5	No	No	3.5×10⁸	Water and Proton	No	No	［24］
AQP1	Protein	Mixed	2.8	No	Yes	3×10⁹~4×10⁹	Only Water	Yes	No	［27］
gA	Protein	Mixed	40	No	Yes	5.3×10⁸	Water and Ions	Yes	No	［28］
Zwitterionic	Self-assembly	Hydrophilic	2.6	No	No	Unreported	Water	No	No	［29］
Porous-DD	Self-assembly	Hydrophobic	14.5	No	No	Unreported	Water and Proton	No	No	［30］
I-Quartet	Self-assembly	Hydrophilic	2.6	No	No	Unreported	Water and Proton	No	No	［31］
PAH4s	Single-molecule	Unreported	Unreported	No	No	Unreported	Water	No	No	［32］
PAH5s	Single-molecule	Unreported	Unreported	No	No	Unreported	Water	No	No	［33］
S-HC8	Single-molecule	Hydrophilic	2.6	No	No	1×10⁶	Water and Proton	No	No	［34］
wCNTs	Single-molecule	Hydrophobic	15	Yes	Yes	1.9×10⁹	Water and Proton	No	Yes	［35］
nCNTs	Single-molecule	Hydrophobic	0.8	Yes	Yes	2.3×10¹⁰	Water and Proton	No	Yes	［35］
POCs	Single-molecule	Hydrophilic	4~10.7	No	No	2.85×10⁹	Water and Proton	No	No	［36］
F-foldamer	Self-assembly	Hydrophobic	5.2	No	No	1.4×10¹⁰	Only Water	No	No	［37］

Fig.3 （a） Molecular model of PAH［4］ water channel［18］；（b） Aquafoldamer water channel constructed by the “sticky end” method［8，19］；（c） Single-line transport of water molecules in the Aqf water channel［20］；（d） Local cross-sectional reduction of the water channel due to the inward protrusion of methyl and ethyl groups in the pore wall［5］；（e） Schematic representation of the proton water line breakage due to the protrusion of groups in the pore［5］

Fig.4 （a） Schematic representation of water encapsulated in an amphiphilic polymer channel［29］；（b） Selective transport of water and protons in a porous dendritic dipeptide channel （pore size estimated to be 1.45 nm）［30］；（c） Side view of a self-assembled I-quartet water channel with a quaternary tubular structure［34］；（d） Top view of an I-quartet water channel［39］

Fig.5 （a） Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy （TEM） images showing CNTP inserted in liposomes［43］；（b） Molecular dynamics simulations describe the transport of water molecules in a single water line within narrow CNTPs ［35］；（c） TEM images of CPNs aggregated into bundles［44］；（d） General chemical structure of α，γ?-cyclic peptides （left panel） and CPN sandwiched in lipid bilayers （right panel）［45］；（e） Schematic representation of the formation of peptide nanotube channels with nanotube channels through stacks of CPN units of different diameters［45］

Fig.6 Two types of graphene as water channels：（a） Monolayer graphene with nanopores on the basal plane［55］，（b） Interlayer-spaced graphene nanosheets with 2D nanotubes［55］；（c） GO nanosheet layers using well-defined interlayer spacing as 2D water channels［56］；（d） Different strategies for adjusting interlayer spacing and widening the channels［57］；（e） New ways to facilitate water transport in GO layers using percolation holes of ZIF-8 nanocrystals as water channels［58］

Fig.7 Structure of POCs showing adjustable aperture sizes［36］

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Research Progress in Designing Artificial Water Channels Based on Aquaporin

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