Cooperative Rotation of Multiple F <sub>o</sub> F <sub>1</sub> ‐ATPase Motors in a Janus Photophosphorylation Nanobot
Inspired by the precise collective action of biological motors, we here develop asymmetric photophosphorylation nanobots through the hierarchical co-assembly of thylakoid vesicles and lecithin liposomes. This approach yields anisotropic vesicles that preserve robust photophosphorylation capacity activity while integrating multiple F<sub>o</sub>F<sub>1</sub>-ATPase motors into a spatially organized nanoarchitecture. Upon light illumination, proton gradients drive ATP synthesis and trigger synchronized rotation of the embedded motors, leading to emergent vortex flows that enable efficient nanobot propulsion. Importantly, the propulsion velocity exhibits a linear dependence on motor number, providing direct evidence of force amplification through motor coordination. Hydrodynamic simulations further reveal that increased motor density strengthens inter-motor coupling via a single-vortex collective mode. By emulating the fundamental principles of biological motor cooperation through rational supramolecular design, this platform offers a powerful framework for achieving life-like, programmable motion at the microscale, with significant potential for applications in active cargo delivery and adaptive biomimetic robotic systems.
Authors
- Yanfang Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1487-365X)
- Yun Huang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1549-1669)
- Qizhi He (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1492-8948)
- Yingjie Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4216-4182)
- Mingjun Xuan
Institutions
- Wenzhou University (CN)
- Harbin Institute of Technology (CN)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Small
- Published
- 2026-01-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202512963
- Primary Topic
- Micro and Nano Robotics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Wenzhou Institute of Biomaterials and Engineering