Photoacid-Fueled Nanopropeller for the Controllable Motion of One-Hole Colloidal Motors with On-Board ATP Supply

A rotary F_lF_o-ATPase-driven colloidal motor (RFCM) is reported capable of directional locomotion and on-board ATP synthesis. The RFCMs are fabricated by hierarchical assembly of chloroplast-derived F_lF_o-ATPase-embedded thylakoid vesicles onto the single hole of silica-polyelectrolyte capsules preloaded with the photoacid 2-nitrobenzaldehyde. Upon UV illumination, proton release via photoisomerization establishes a transmembrane proton motive force across the ∼200 nm hole, powering continuous unidirectional rotation of the surface-bound ATPases. This rotation propels the RFCMs forward at an average velocity of 3.05 µm s⁻¹, effectively mimicking the thrust of nanoscale submarines. Simultaneously, ATP is synthesized in situ and released into the surrounding environment. Notably, these RFCMs exhibit positive chemotaxis toward ADP/OH⁻ gradients, resembling natural cellular behavior. This biomimetic propulsion platform integrates autonomous motion with on-board localized energy production, offering a promising foundation for the development of multifunctional nanobots for biomedical and synthetic biology applications.