Mei Hong

Counterions, Polarization and Pore Hydration Relay Drive Ion Permeation through Hydrophobic Pore Formed by the MERS Coronavirus E Protein

Hydrophobic pores are generally expected to exclude ions because the large desolvation penalty associated with ion transfer cannot be compensated within a nonpolar environment. The envelope (E) protein of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) presents a striking exception, conducting cations with high...