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<p>‘Light-mills’ are optically driven microstructures that can exchange orbital angular momentum with light and thus rotate around a central axis with a controlled applied torque. Although many studies have explored the employment of light momentum for torque generation, only a few convincing applications in cellular and molecular biology have been demonstrated. Here, we design a 3D chiral structure that can be selectively coupled to a target nanometric flagellar motor in a live E. coli cell, functioning as an external, tunable torque clamp. We optimize our 3D microstructures for torque conversion efficiency and mechanical stability, and propose a calibration protocol that enables absolute quantification of the torque generated by the flagellar motor during rotation in both its natural and reverse directions. Our results demonstrate that microfabricated light-mills expand the optical toolbox for biomechanical study of individual rotary motors by enabling controlled torque application and measurement at the nanoscale.</p><p></p>

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An optically driven microstructure for torque measurement in rotary molecular motors

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月3日

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  • Giacomo Donini,
  • Silvio Bianchi,
  • Nicola Pellicciotta,
  • Giacomo Frangipane,
  • Maria Cristina Cannarsa,
  • Ojus Satish Bagal,
  • Roberto Di Leonardo

摘要

‘Light-mills’ are optically driven microstructures that can exchange orbital angular momentum with light and thus rotate around a central axis with a controlled applied torque. Although many studies have explored the employment of light momentum for torque generation, only a few convincing applications in cellular and molecular biology have been demonstrated. Here, we design a 3D chiral structure that can be selectively coupled to a target nanometric flagellar motor in a live E. coli cell, functioning as an external, tunable torque clamp. We optimize our 3D microstructures for torque conversion efficiency and mechanical stability, and propose a calibration protocol that enables absolute quantification of the torque generated by the flagellar motor during rotation in both its natural and reverse directions. Our results demonstrate that microfabricated light-mills expand the optical toolbox for biomechanical study of individual rotary motors by enabling controlled torque application and measurement at the nanoscale.