Fig. 4.

Model of DCD interactions with membranes. Peptide monomers of DCD are in equilibrium with the hexameric channel form, which is stabilized by the presence of zinc. The channel and DCD monomers can interact with membrane surfaces through lateral association as shown by our NMR studies. The channel can be translocated into the membrane upon application of a TMV, as shown in planar lipid membrane conductance measurements, and forms a representative of the barrel-stave model. Once the channel is integrated into a membrane, channel conductance can be recorded by planar lipid membrane experiments and estimated by molecular dynamics studies.