Ionic correlations at the nanoscale: inversion of selectivity in a bio-nanochannel
Materials Science
2011-03-03 v2 Soft Condensed Matter
Biological Physics
Abstract
Here we show, combining a simulation and theoretical study, that electrostatic correlations typical of multivalent ions can reverse the selectivity of a biological nanochannel. Our results provide a physical mechanism for a new, experimentally observed phenomenon, namely the inversion of the selectivity of a bacterial porin (the E. Coli OmpF) in presence of divalent and trivalent cations. Also, the differences and similarities between the driving force for this phenomenon and other similar nano and micro-escale electrokinetic effects (e.g. inversion of streaming current in silica nanochannels) are explored.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1005.0278,
title = {Ionic correlations at the nanoscale: inversion of selectivity in a bio-nanochannel},
author = {Marcel Aguilella-Arzo and Carles Calero and Jordi Faraudo},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1005.0278},
year = {2011}
}