Question

Ions in solution are found in a hydration shell of water. This shell must be removed for an ion to pass through the channel. How does the K+ channel accomplish removal of the water from the shell around the ion?

A. Carbonyl groups lining the wall of the pore can interact with the unsolvated K+ ion, balancing the energy needed to remove the hydration shell.
B. Rigid protein loops strip the hydration shell from the potassium so that the ion is the right diameter to pass through the pore.
C. The K+ channel uses the energy in ATP hydrolysis to remove the hydration shell from the K+ ion.
D. The K+ channel has four subunits; one subunit removes the hydration shell as the ion passes through the pore formed by the three other subunits.

Answer 1

The K+ channel removes the hydration shell from the ion using carbonyl groups lining the wall of the pore.

Step-by-step explanation:

The K+ channel accomplishes the removal of the water from the hydration shell around the ion by carbonyl groups lining the wall of the pore. These carbonyl groups can interact with the unsolvated K+ ion, balancing the energy needed to remove the hydration shell.