出典:Wikipedia
出典:『Wikipedia』 (2011/05/29 02:41 UTC 版)
A protonophore, also known as a proton translocator, is an ionophore that allows protons to cross lipid bilayers. This would otherwise not occur as protons have positive charge and hydrophilic properties, making them unable to cross without a channel or transporter. Protonophores are generally aromatic compounds that are both hydrophobic and capable of distributing the negative charge over a number of atoms by π-orbitals which delocalize a proton's charge in the molecule. Both the neutral and the charged species can diffuse across the lipid bilayer by passive diffusion and simultaneously facilitating proton transport.