Potassium Ion Transport Research Articles

A deep learning model for prediction of autism status using whole-exome sequencing data.

Autism is a developmental disability. Research demonstrated that children with autism benefit from early diagnosis and early intervention. Genetic factors are considered major contributors to the development of autism. Machine learning (ML), including deep learning (DL), has been evaluated in phenotype prediction, but this method has been limited in its application to autism. We developed a DL model, the Separate Translated Autism Research Neural Network (STAR-NN) model to predict autism status. The model was trained and tested using whole exome sequencing data from 43,203 individuals (16,809 individuals with autism and 26,394 non-autistic controls). Polygenic scores from common variants and the aggregated count of rare variants on genes were used as input. In STAR-NN, protein truncating variants, possibly damaging missense variants and mild effect missense variants on the same gene were separated at the input level and merged to one gene node. In this way, rare variants with different level of pathogenic effects were treated separately. We further validated the performance of STAR-NN using an independent dataset, including 13,827 individuals with autism and 14,052 non-autistic controls. STAR-NN achieved a modest ROC-AUC of 0.7319 on the testing dataset and 0.7302 on the independent dataset. STAR-NN outperformed other traditional ML models. Gene Ontology analysis on the selected gene features showed an enrichment for potentially informative pathways including potassium ion transport.

Macroscale Gradient Dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease: Patterns With Cognition Terms and Gene Expression Profiles.

Macroscale functional gradient techniques provide a continuous coordinate system that extends from unimodal regions to transmodal higher-order networks. However, the alterations of these functional gradients in AD and their correlations with cognitive terms and gene expression profiles remain to be established. In the present study, we directly studied the functional gradients with functional MRI data from seven scanners. We adopted data-driven meta-analytic techniques to unveil AD-associated changes in the functional gradients. The principal primary-to-transmodal gradient was suppressed in AD. Compared to NCs, AD patients exhibited global connectome gradient alterations, including reduced gradient range and gradient variation, increased gradient scores in the somatomotor, ventral attention, and frontoparietal regions, and decreased in the default mode network. More importantly, the Gene Ontology terms of biological processes were significantly enriched in the potassium ion transport and protein-containing complex remodeling. Our compelling evidence provides a new perspective in understanding the connectome alterations in AD.

Bionic Potassium Ion Channel in Live Cells Repairs Cardiomyocyte Function.

The disturbance of potassium current in cardiac myocytes caused by potassium channel dysfunction can lead to cardiac electrophysiological disorders, resulting in associated cardiovascular diseases. The emergence of artificial potassium ion channels opens up a way to replace dysfunctional natural ion channels and cure related diseases. However, bionic potassium ion channels have not been introduced into living cells to regulate cell function. One of the biggest challenges is that when the bionic channel fuses with the cell, it is difficult to control the inserting angle of the bionic potassium channel to ensure its penetration of the entire cell membrane. In nature, the extracellular vesicles can fuse with living cells with a completely preserved structure of vesicle protein. Inspired by this, we developed a vesicle fusion-based bionic porin (VFBP), which integrates bionic potassium ion channels into cardiomyocytes to replace damaged potassium ion channels. Theoretical and experimental results show that the inserted bionic ion channels have a potassium ion transport rate comparable to that of natural ion channels, which can restore the potassium ion outflow in cardiomyocytes and repair the abnormal action potential and excitation-contraction coupling of cardiomyocytes. Therefore, the bionic potassium ion channel system based on membrane fusion is expected to become the research object in many fields such as ultrafast ion transport, transmembrane delivery, and channelopathies treatment.

Unveiling the bifunctional roles of Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in construction of Nb2CTx@MoSe2 heterojunction for fast potassium storage

Exploring robust electrode materials which could permit fast and reversible insertion/extraction of large K+ is a crucial challenge for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs). Smart interfacial design could facilitate electron/ion transport as well as assure the integrity of electrode. Herein, Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was found to play bifunctional roles in construction of Nb2CTx@MoSe2 heterostructure. Firstly, functionalization of CTAB on the surface of Nb2CTx could influence the subsequent growth of MoSe2 by electrostatic effect, stereochemical effect and the synergetic Lewis acid-base interaction, leading to the formation of Nb2CTx@MoSe2 with tiled heterostructure. Secondly, the interlayer spacing of Nb2CTx was expanded from 0.77 to 1.21 nm owing to the pillar effect of CTAB. As excepted, the capacity retention was 80 % from 100 mA g−1 (406 mA h g−1) to 1000 mA g−1 concerning rate capability and the specific capacity maintained at 240 mA h g−1 (at 2000 mA g−1) over 300 cycles. The calculated DK values from Galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) measurement of the titled C-T-Nb2CTx@MoSe2@C electrode is two orders of magnitude larger than the traditional T-Nb2CTx@MoSe2@C electrode, further confirming intimate interface between MoSe2 and Nb2CTx could provide convenient potassium-ion transport channels and fast diffusion kinetics. Finally, ex-situ characterizations at different charging and discharging voltage stages, including ex-situ XRD/Raman/HRTEM/XPS have been carried out to reveal the potassium storage mechanism. This work provides a facile strategy for the regulation of interface engineering by the assist of CTAB which could extend to other MXenes-TMDs (Transition metal dichalcogenides) hybrid electrodes.

Novel NASICON-type Mn0.5Ti2(PO4)3@F-doped carbon composite with high electrochemical performance as anode materials for potassium-ion batteries

Mn0.5Ti2(PO4)3 with a NASICON structural is used as an anode material in potassium-ion batteries due to its abundance of vacancies that can hold potassium ions. This characteristic not only contributes to its excellent stability but also results in a high specific capacity. However, the poor electrical conductivity of the polyanionic type structure limits the material's ability to fully utilize its capacity. In this paper, the conductivity and electrochemical stability of the Mn0.5Ti2(PO4)3 anode material are enhanced through composite formation with an F-doped carbon layer. The introduction of F into the carbon matrix creates a large number of vacancy defects and F active sites. The vacancies enhance the transport of potassium ions on the Mn0.5Ti2(PO4)3 material's surface, while the active sites exhibit strong electronegativity, improving the absorption of potassium ions. Therefore, the diffusion impedance of potassium ions is significantly reduced, leading to an increased diffusion rate of potassium ions. Attributing to the improved reaction kinetics, the Mn0.5Ti2(PO4)3@F-doped carbon composite demonstrates a high specific capacity of 86 mA h g−1 at 10,000 mA g−1 when used as the anode for potassium-ion batteries. Even more, the specific capacity remains a capacity of 136 mA g−1 after 3000 cycles at 1000 mA h g−1. This study enhances our comprehension of material design by investigating the alteration of carbon matrix to promote the electrochemical characteristics of materials.

Genetic insights into hypoxia tolerance in silver sillago (Sillago sihama) through QTL mapping and SNP association analysis

Oxygen is vital for the survival, growth, development, and reproduction of organisms. This study investigates the genetic basis of hypoxia tolerance in the silver sillago (Sillago sihama), a species highly valued in aquaculture despite its traditional susceptibility to low oxygen environments. By employing quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) association studies, the study enhances our comprehension of the genetic factors involved in hypoxia tolerance. Six QTLs associated with hypoxia tolerance have been identified, spanning five distinct linkage groups. Enrichment analyses highlighted important biological processes and pathways, particularly those related to potassium ion transport and cytochrome P450-mediated drug metabolism, which play a critical role in responding to hypoxia stress. Seven candidate genes have been identified as relevant to hypoxia tolerance: cyp20a1, mgst3b, kcnh2, cluh, adk, xdh, and slc19a2. Notably, the SNP association analysis has identified 13 SNPs within the mgst3b gene, with five SNPs (g.583 T > C, g.611 A > G, g.629 T > A, g.633 T > A, g.937 A > G) showing a significant association with hypoxia tolerance. This study sheds light on the molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxia tolerance and suggests potential genetic markers that could be used to enhance S. sihama's ability to withstand hypoxic conditions through selective breeding, providing valuable insights for the improvement of sustainable aquaculture practices.

A biomimetic ion channel shortens the QT interval of type 2 long QT syndrome through efficient transmembrane transport of potassium ions

Potassium ion transport across myocardial cell membrane is essential for type 2 long QT syndrome (LQT2). However, the dysfunction of potassium ion transport due to genetic mutations limits the therapeutic effect in treating LQT2. Biomimetic ion channels that selectively and efficiently transport potassium ions across the cellular membranes are promising for the treatment of LQT2. To corroborate this, we synthesized a series of foldamer-based ion channels with different side chains, and found a biomimetic ion channel of K+ (BICK) with the highest transport activity among them. The selected BICK can restore potassium ion transport and increase transmembrane potassium ion current, thus shortening phase 3 of action potential (AP) repolarization and QT interval in LQT2. Moreover, BICK does not affect heart rate and cardiac rhythm in treating LQT2 model induced by E4031 in isolated heart as well as in guinea pigs. By restoring ion transmembrane transport tactic, biomimetic ion channels, such as BICK, will show great potential in treating diseases related to ion transport blockade. Statement of significanceType 2 long QT syndrome (LQT2) is a disease caused by K+ transport disorder, which can cause malignant arrhythmia and even death. There is currently no radical cure, so it is critical to explore ways to improve K+ transmembrane transport. In this study, we report that a small-molecule biomimetic ion channel BICK can efficiently simulate natural K+ channel proteins on the cardiomyocyte and cure E4031-induced LQT2 in guinea pig by restoring K+ transport function for the first time. This study found that the potassium transmembrane transport by BICK significantly reduced the QT interval, which provides a conceptually new strategy for the treatment of LQT2 disease.

Regulating potassium storage kinetics in mesoporous carbon spheres via delicate inner structural design

Carbon materials have been considered to be potential anodes for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs). Different strategies, including designing micro-/nano-structure and porous morphology, introducing heteroatom doping, and creating carbon-based hybrids, have been employed to improve the potassium ion transport kinetics. Nevertheless, it is still a challenge to achieve satisfactory potassium storage performance due to the uncontrolled reaction kinetics of the large-sized potassium ions. Herein, we successfully synthesized mesoporous carbon spheres (MCSs) with tunable internal morphology and structure by using sacrificed template method. The optimized MCSs with novel half inner-shell structures (HIS-MCSs) show excellent electrochemical performance when used as the anode for PIBs. Specifically, a reversible specific capacity of 241.2 mAh/g is achieved at a current density of 0.1 A/g. Even at 5.0 A/g, a reversible specific capacity of 120 mAh/g can still be reached. Long-term stability tests show that the electrode holds a capacity of 166.5 mAh/g after 1000 cycles at 1.0 A/g. The good cycling stability and rate performance of the HIS-MCSs electrode are attributed to the well-defined inner structural design, in which the contribution from ion diffusion and pseudo-capacitance process are compromised.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the HAK/KUP/KT gene family in Moso bamboo.

The K+ uptake permease/high-affinity K+/K+ transporter (KUP/HAK/KT) family is the most prominent group of potassium (K+) transporters, playing a key role in K+ uptake, transport, plant growth and development, and stress tolerance. However, the presence and functions of the KUP/HAK/KT family in Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis (Carriere) J. Houzeau), the fastest-growing plant, have not been studied. In this study, we identified 41 KUP/HAK/KT genes (PeHAKs) distributed across 18 chromosomal scaffolds of the Moso bamboo genome. PeHAK is a typical membrane protein with a conserved structural domain and motifs. Phylogenetic tree analysis classified PeHAKs into four distinct clusters, while collinearity analysis revealed gene duplications resulting from purifying selection, including both tandem and segmental duplications. Enrichment analysis of promoter cis-acting elements suggested their plausible role in abiotic stress response and hormone induction. Transcriptomic data and STEM analyses indicated that PeHAKs were involved in tissue and organ development, rapid growth, and responded to different abiotic stress conditions. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that PeHAKs are predominantly expressed at the cell membrane. In-situ PCR experiments confirmed that PeHAK was mainly expressed in the lateral root primordia. Furthermore, the involvement of PeHAKs in potassium ion transport was confirmed by studying the potassium ion transport properties of a yeast mutant. Additionally, through homology modeling, we revealed the structural properties of HAK as a transmembrane protein associated with potassium ion transport. This research provides a solid basis for understanding the classification, characterization, and functional analysis of the PeHAK family in Moso bamboo.

Semen proteome and transcriptome of the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) show association with the environment and fertility outcome

The ex situ population of the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) has been experiencing declines in reproductive success over the past 30 years of human-managed care. A potential cause may be environmental-dependent inbreeding depression with diet being one of the contributing factors since ferrets are not fed their natural diet of prairie dogs. Here, we generated and analyzed semen proteome and transcriptome data from both wild and ex situ ferrets maintained on various diets. We identified 1757 proteins across all samples, with 149 proteins unique to the semen of wild ferrets and forming a ribosomal predicted protein–protein interaction cluster. Wild ferrets also differed from ex situ ferrets in their transcriptomic profile, showing enrichment in ribosomal RNA processing and potassium ion transport. Successful fertility outcomes documented for ex situ ferrets showed the strongest association with the semen transcriptome, with enrichment in genes involved in translation initiation and focal adhesion. Fertility also synergized with the effect of diet on differentially expressed transcriptomes, mainly affecting genes enriched in mitochondrial function. Our data and functional networks are important for understanding the causes and mechanisms of declining fertility in the ex situ ferret population and can be used as a resource for future conservation efforts.

The local disorder induced by high-entropy doping results in highly stable cathode materials for aqueous potassium-ion batteries

Aqueous potassium-ion batteries are poised to become leading candidates for next-generation large-scale storage technology due to their low cost and safety features. However, the stability of aqueous potassium-ion battery materials faces significant challenges. The large ionic radius of potassium ions causes significant stress changes in the ordered crystal structure of the materials during the charge-discharge process. To address this issue, we synthesized high-entropy-doped layered manganese oxide (HE-KMO). High-entropy doping reconstructed the electron cloud distribution between the layers of HE-KMO, causing local disorder in HE-KMO. Local disorder reduces the transport barrier by inducing the transport of potassium ions and alleviates the stress on the material. It prevented phase transitions of HE-KMO during charging and discharging, improving the stability of HE-KMO. We used HE-KMO in the cathode material of aqueous potassium-ion batteries. Under a current of 5 A g−1, HE-KMO maintains an outstanding capacity retention after 5000 cycles.

Cholesterol-Induced Deformation of Gramicidin A Channel Inhibits Potassium Ion Binding and Transport

Abstract Gramicidin A (gA) is a kind of antibiotic peptide produced by Bacillus brevis and it can dimerize across lipid bilayers to form a monovalent cation channel. In this work, we investigate the impact of cholesterol in the lipid bilayer on the binding of potassium ions with gA channel and the transport of the ions across the channel. The results indicate that cholesterol can significantly influence the conformational stability of the gA channel and cause the channel deformation which inhibits the potassium ion binding with the channel and transport across the channel. The work provides some molecular insights into understanding the influence of lipids on the activity of gA channel in both model membranes and plasma membranes of intact cells.

Building Stable Solid-State Potassium Metal Batteries.

Solid-state potassium metal batteries (SPMBs) are promising candidates for the next generation of energy storage systems for their low cost, safety, and high energy density. However, full SPMBs are not yet reported due to the K dendrites, interfacial incompatibility, and limited availability of suitable solid-state electrolytes. Here, stable SPMBs using a new iodinated solid polymer electrolyte (ISPE) are presented. The functional ions reconstruct ion transport channels, providing efficient potassium ion transport. ISPE shows a combination of high ionic conductivity, superior interfacial compatibility, and electrochemical stability. In situ alloying and iodinated interlayer increase K metal compatibility for prolonged cycling with low polarization. Moreover, the ISPE enables SPMBs with Prussian blue cathode stable operation at a high voltage of 4.5V, a superior rate capability, and long-term cycling over 3000 cycles (4.2V vs K+/K) with an ultra-high coulombic efficiency of 99.94%. More importantly, a classic solid-state potassium metal pouch cell achieves 4.2V stable cycling over 800 cycles with a high retention of 93.6%, presenting a new development strategy for secure and high-performance rechargeable solid-state potassium metal batteries.

Effects of Potassium-Containing Fertilizers on Sugar and Organic Acid Metabolism in Grape Fruits.

To identify suitable potassium fertilizers for grape (Vitis vinifera L.) production and study their mechanism of action, the effects of four potassium-containing fertilizers (complex fertilizer, potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, and potassium dihydrogen phosphate) on sugar and organic acid metabolism in grape fruits were investigated. Potassium-containing fertilizers increased the activity of sugar and organic acid metabolism-related enzymes at all stages of grape fruit development. During the later stages of fruit development, potassium-containing fertilizers increased the total soluble solid content and the sugar content of the different sugar fractions and decreased the titratable acid content and organic acid content of the different organic acid fractions. At the ripening stage of grape fruit, compared with the control, complex fertilizer, potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, and potassium dihydrogen phosphate increased the total soluble solid content by 1.5, 1.2, 3.5, and 3.4 percentage points, decreased the titratable acid content by 0.09, 0.06, 0.18, and 0.17 percentage points, respectively, and also increased the total potassium content in grape fruits to a certain degree. Transcriptome analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the berries showed that applying potassium-containing fertilizers enriched the genes in pathways involved in fruit quality, namely, carbon metabolism, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, and fructose and mannose metabolism. Potassium-containing fertilizers affected the expression levels of genes regulating sugar metabolism and potassium ion uptake and transport. Overall, potassium-containing fertilizers can promote sugar accumulation and reduce acid accumulation in grape fruits, and potassium sulfate and potassium dihydrogen phosphate had the best effects among the fertilizers tested.

GeV4S8: a Novel Bimetallic Sulfide for Robust and Fast Potassium Storage.

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) have attracted much attention due to their low production cost and abundant resources. Germanium is a promising alloying-type anode with a high theoretical capacity for PIBs, yet suffering significant volume expansion and sluggish potassium-ion transport kinetics. Herein, a rational strategy is formulated to disperse Ge atoms into transition metal V-S sulfide frameworks to form a loosely packed and metallic GeV4S8 medium. The theoretical prediction shows that GeV4S8 is conducive to the adsorption and diffusion of K+. The V-S frameworks provide fast ion/electron diffusion channels and also help to buffer the volume expansion during K+ insertion. In situ and ex situ characterizations manifest that KGe alloy clusters are constrained and dispersed by potassiated VS2 topological structure during discharging, and revert to the original GeV4S8 after charging. Consequently, as a novel anode for PIBs, GeV4S8 provides a high specific capacity of ≈400mAhg-1 at 0.5C, maintaining 160mAhg-1 even at 12.5C and ≈80% capacity after 1000 cycles at 5C, superior to most of the state-of-the-art anode materials. The proposed strategy of combining alloy and intercalation dual-functional units is expected to open up a new way for high-capacity and high-rate anode for PIBs.

11-Deoxycorticosterone (DOC)'s Action on the Gill Osmoregulation of Juvenile Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

In aquaculture, stress can negatively affect fish growth. For years, the cortisol hormone has been thought to play both glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid functions. Nevertheless, recent research has suggested that 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC) released during stress could contribute to cortisol actions, though this process is still misunderstood. Here, we evaluated the DOC effects on physiological and early transcriptional responses by RNA-seq. Juvenile rainbow trout were treated with DOC and/or glucocorticoids (mifepristone) or mineralocorticoid (eplerenone) receptor antagonists. Subsequently, plasma was collected, and cDNA libraries were generated from the gills of vehicle (control), DOC, mifepristone, mifepristone with DOC, eplerenone, and eplerenone with DOC groups. Calcium and phosphate levels in plasma were changed. Results revealed 914 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) induced by DOC compared with control, mainly associated with sodium ion transmembrane transport, gluconeogenesis, negative regulation of transmembrane transport, and activation of innate immune response. DOC versus eplerenone with DOC comparison displayed 444 DETs related to cell-cell junction organization, canonical glycolysis, positive regulation of immune response, and potassium ion transport. Conversely, no DETs were detected in DOC versus mifepristone with DOC comparison. These data suggest that DOC has a relevant role in gill stress response and ion transport, which is differentially regulated by mineralocorticoid receptors.

Deciphering the structure and potassium-ion transport mechanism of potassium borate glass.

Potassium borate glass has great potential as an ion transport material. The ion transport rate is closely related to the microstructure of the glass. However, the disorder and variations in boron and oxygen atom types in the glass structure pose challenges in the analysis of this complex glass structure. In this work, the structure of potassium borate glass was unveiled through the neutron diffraction method and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. The B-O, K-O, and O-O atomic interactions, bond lengths, coordination numbers, cavity distribution, ring structure distributions and other detailed information in the microstructure of potassium borate glass were obtained. By comparing the structure and properties of potassium borate glass with those of crystals of similar components, it is found that the bond lengths of 3B-BO (BO, bridging oxygen), 4B-BO and 3B-NBO (NBO, non-bridging oxygen) are longer than those of corresponding crystals, so the structure of the boron-oxygen network is looser and the density is smaller than that of similar crystals. Moreover, we found a rule that in both borate glass and crystal, the increase of NBO shortened the length of the B-O bond, and the increase of 4B increased the length of the B-O bond. The key structures affecting the transport rate of K+ were NBO, chain structure units and cavities. This work will provide reference data for designing and developing electrically conductive amorphous materials with faster potassium-ion transport rates.

Resolving heterogeneity in Alzheimer's disease based on individualized structural covariance network

The heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a challenge to precision medicine. We aimed to identify distinct subtypes of AD based on the individualized structural covariance network (IDSCN) analysis and to research the underlying neurobiology mechanisms. In this study, 187 patients with AD (age = 73.57 ± 6.00, 50% female) and 143 matched normal controls (age = 74.30 ± 7.80, 44% female) were recruited from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) project database, and T1 images were acquired. We utilized the IDSCN analysis to generate individual-level altered structural covariance network and performed k-means clustering to subtype AD based on structural covariance network. Cognition, disease progression, morphological features, and gene expression profiles were further compared between subtypes, to characterize the heterogeneity in AD. Two distinct AD subtypes were identified in a reproducible manner, and we named the two subtypes as slow progression type (subtype 1, n = 104, age = 76.15 ± 6.44, 42% female) and rapid progression type (subtype 2, n = 83, age = 71.98 ± 8.72, 47% female), separately. Subtype 1 had better baseline visuospatial function than subtype 2 (p < 0.05), whereas subtype 2 had better baseline memory function than subtype 1 (p < 0.05). Subtype 2 showed worse progression in memory (p = 0.003), language (p = 0.003), visuospatial function (p = 0.020), and mental state (p = 0.038) than subtype 1. Subtype 1 often shared increased structural covariance network, mainly in the frontal lobe and temporal lobe regions, whereas subtype 2 often shared increased structural covariance network, mainly in occipital lobe regions and temporal lobe regions. Functional annotation further revealed that all differential structural covariance network between the two AD subtypes were mainly implicated in memory, learning, emotion, and cognition. Additionally, differences in gray matter volume (GMV) between AD subtypes were identified, and genes associated with GMV differences were found to be enriched in the terms potassium ion transport, synapse organization, and histone modification and the pathways viral infection, neurodegeneration-multiple diseases, and long-term depression. The two distinct AD subtypes were identified and characterized with neuroanatomy, cognitive trajectories, and gene expression profiles. These comprehensive results have implications for neurobiology mechanisms and precision medicine.

Theoretical investigation of hydroxylated analogues of valinomycin as potassium transporter

Valinomycin is a potent ionophore known for its ability to transport potassium ions across biological membranes. The study focuses on the hydroxylated analogues of valinomycin (HyVLMs) and compares their energy profiles and capabilities for transporting potassium ions across phospholipid membranes. Using metadynamics, we investigated the energy profiles of wildtype valinomycin (VLM_1) and its three hydroxylated analogues (VLM_2, VLM_3, and VLM_4). We observed that all analogues exhibited energy maxima in the centre of the membrane and preferred positions below the phospholipid heads. Furthermore, the entry barriers for membrane penetration were similar among the analogues, suggesting that the hydroxyl group did not significantly affect their passage through the membrane. Transition state calculations provided insights into the ability of valinomycin analogues to capture potassium ions, with VLM_4 showing the lowest activation energy and VLM_2 displaying the highest. Our findings contribute to understanding the mechanisms of potassium transport by valinomycin analogues and highlight their potential as ionophores. The presence of the hydroxyl group is of particular importance because it paves the way for subsequent chemical modifications and the synthesis of new antiviral agents with reduced intrinsic toxicity.

High-entropy two-dimensional metal phosphorus trichalcogenides boost high-performance potassium ion storage devices via electrochemical reconstruction

We investigate the influence of configurational entropy on the cycling performance of 2D metal phosphorus trichalcogenides (MPS3) when utilized as anodes in potassium-ion devices. High yield, two-dimensional high-entropy CoVMnFeZnPS3 (HEPS3) with thickness ranging from 6 to 10 nm was synthesized via a vacuum solid-state method. HEPS3 enables efficient potassium-ion transport and intercalation at the interface of electrodes, thanks to the high-entropy effects arising from the interaction of various metal ions on the K+ binding energy. HEPS3 potassium-ion anodes outperform their medium-entropy (CoMnFePS3 (ME3PS3) and CoMnFeZnPS3 (ME4PS3)), CoFePS3 (LE2PS3), and FePS3 (LEPS3) counterparts, exhibiting a high reversible capacity of 524 mAh g−1, impressive high-rate capability up to 10 A g−1, and exceptional cycling stability over 1000 cycles. Our findings indicate that the electrochemical reconstruction of HEPS3 during cycling is crucial for achieving high-performance potassium-ion batteries. In situ-formed metal alloy layers act as catalysts, offering not only suitable adsorption energy to prevent the shuttle effect but also promoting the complete conversion of polysulfides. Furthermore, cations uniformly dispersed across the 2D plane create a "lattice distortion effect," imparting the structure with high mechanical stability and allowing for even distribution of internal stress generated in the electrode during the K+ insertion/extraction process, which in turn suppresses electrode pulverization and prevents the aggregation of MPCh3 layers. This work proposes a novel strategy for significantly enhancing potassium-ion storage performance through the electrochemical activation of high-entropy layered metal phosphides, thus opening a new horizon of 2D material design principle in energy storage devices.