Long-Range Proton Channels Constructed via Hierarchical Peptide Self-Assembly.

The quest to understand and mimic proton translocation mechanisms in natural channels has driven the development of peptide-based artificial channels facilitating efficient proton transport across nanometric membranes. It is demonstrated here that hierarchical peptide self-assembly can form micrometers-long proton nanochannels. The fourfold symmetrical peptide design leverages intermolecular aromatic interactions to align self-assembled cyclic peptide nanotubes, creating hydrophilic nanochannels between them.