Abstract

The highly selective permeation of ions through biological ion channels is an unsolved problem of noise and fluctuations. In this paper, we motivate and introduce a non-equilibrium and self-consistent multi-species kinetic model, with the express aims of comparing with experimental recordings of current versus voltage and concentration and extracting important permeation parameters. For self-consistency, the behavior of the model at the two-state, i.e., selective limit in linear response, must agree with recent results derived from an equilibrium statistical theory. The kinetic model provides a good fit to data, including the key result of an anomalous mole fraction effect.

Highlights

  • Biological ion channels passively transport ions through the impermeable cell membrane, but precisely how they do it is a long-standing problem [1,2,3]

  • To extend the theory far from equilibrium, we introduce a set of master equations describing transitions within our state space

  • The transition rates must be constrained by the condition of detailed balance; and the probabilities will reduce to the form given by equilibrium statistical physics [29, 30, 35]

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Summary

Introduction

Biological ion channels passively (and stochastically) transport ions through the impermeable cell membrane, but precisely how they do it is a long-standing problem [1,2,3]. One generally assumes that the pore can be represented by a series of energy wells and barriers, and that occupancies (or states) can be described by a set of master equations from which the net °ux can be calculated These reproduce saturation of current versus concentration, as observed experimentally [15,16,17], and more interesting properties such as: the importance of volume exclusion [18], the role of selectivity and interactions between ions [16, 19, 20] and the consequence of mutagenisis [21]. I and c are the electro-chemical and chemical potentials in the pore

Kinetic theory
Application to NaChBac and its Mutant
Comparison with experiment
Linear response
Non-equilibrium response
Conclusion

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