Spectroscopic and semiempirical studies of a proton channel formed by the methyl ester of monensin A.

Monensin A is an ionophore able to carry protons and cations through the cell membrane. Its methyl ester (MON1) and its hydrates have been studied in acetonitrile, and its deuterated analogue by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopies as well as by vapor pressure osmotic and PM5 semiempirical methods. Interestingly, these hydrates show new and unexpected biophysical and biochemical properties. The formation of the hydrates starts with a transfer of a proton from the O(IV)-H hydroxyl group of MON1 to an oxygen atom of a water molecule, which is subsequently hydrated by other water molecules forming the (MON1 + 3H(2)O) species. This hydrate exhibits a ringlike structure in which the water molecules form an almost linear hydrogen-bonded chain. Within this chain, the excess proton fluctuates very fast inside the water cluster as indicated by a continuous absorption in the FTIR spectra. The formation of the (MON1 + 3H(2)O) species is accompanied by a self-assembly process, leading to the formation of a proton channel made up of eight (MON1 + 3H(2)O) units with a length of 60 A, in which the proton can fluctuate over the whole distance. Semiempirical calculations suggest that due to the hydrophobic surface the channel can be incorporated readily in a lipid bilayer. This hypothetical new channel is thought to be able to transport protons through the cell membrane. Thus it is a suitable model for studying proton-transfer processes, and in addition, it may open interesting new fields of application.