Rectified and non-linear voltage-dependent membrane conductance of centrosymmetric oligoester bolaamphiphiles

AbstractThe synthesis and membrane activity of eight oligoester bolaamphiphiles based on a terephthalate diester core with variable terminal groups is reported. The conductance activity observed in a majority of cases is predominantly erratic at the single-channel level. All active compounds show both Ohmic and non-linear current-voltage responses with some examples of rectified conductance. Non-linear responses arise from inherent asymmetry in the experimental system coupled with structures that must form dissymmetric hairpin insertions in the bilayer membrane.