Regulation of Cell Membrane Potential through Supramolecular System for Activating Calcium Ion Channels
Gang Song, Boying Li, Zhiwen Yang, Hongrui Lin, Junjie Cheng, Yiming Huang, Chengfen Xing, Fengting Lv, Haotian Bai, Shu Wang
Abstract
The regulation of the cell membrane potential plays a crucial role in governing the transmembrane transport of various ions and cellular life processes. However, in situ and on-demand modulation of cell membrane potential for ion channel regulation is challenging. Herein, we have constructed a supramolecular assembly system based on water-soluble cationic oligo(phenylenevinylene) (OPV) and cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]). The controllable disassembly of OPV/4CB[7] combined with the subsequent click reaction provides a step-by-step adjustable surface positive potential. These processes can be employed in situ on the plasma membrane to modulate the membrane potential on-demand for precisely controlling the activation of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channel and up-regulating exogenous calcium-responsive gene expression. Compared with typical optogenetics, electrogenetics, and mechanogenetics, our strategy provides a perspective supramolecular genetics toolbox for the regulation of membrane potential and downstream intracellular gene regulation events.