Maltoporin forms a trimeric structure which facilitates the diffusion of maltodextrins across the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.

[2] Most pores used for diffusion contain only 16 antiparallel strands, but maltoporin has 18.

The structure of maltoporin contains long loops and short turns.

The sugar initially binds to the first greasy residue with van der Waals forces.

[3] Maltoporin's original name was LamB because it is a bacteriophage lambda receptor.