De Corato, MarcoPagonabarraga Mora, IgnacioAbdelmohsen, Loai K. E. A.Sánchez, SamuelArroyo, Marino2021-02-052021-02-052020-12-072469-990Xhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/173714We examine a mechanism of locomotion of active particles whose surface is uniformly coated with mobile enzymes. The enzymes catalyze a reaction that drives phoretic flows but their homogeneous distribution forbids locomotion by symmetry. We find that the ability of the enzymes to migrate over the surface combined with self-phoresis can lead to a spontaneous symmetry-breaking instability whereby the homogeneous distribution of enzymes polarizes and the particle propels. The instability is driven by the advection of enzymes by the phoretic flows and occurs above a critical Péclet number. The transition to polarized motile states occurs via a supercritical or subcritical pitchfork bifurcations, the latter of which enables hysteresis and coexistence of uniform and polarized states.11 p.application/pdfeng(c) American Physical Society, 2020LocomocióEnzimsCèl·lules eucariotesLocomotionEnzymesEukaryotic cellsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/article7067262021-02-05info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess