To Lyse or Not to Lyse: How Bacteriophages Decide Cell Fate
Author Information
Author(s): Joh Richard I. Weitz, Joshua S. Weitz
Primary Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology
Hypothesis
Can transient dynamics in gene regulatory networks influence cell fate decisions in bacteriophage-infected cells?
Conclusion
The study shows that the fate of an infected cell can be influenced by the number of co-infecting phages, with transient dynamics playing a crucial role.
Supporting Evidence
- Increasing the number of infecting phages raises the likelihood of lysogeny over lysis.
- The model predicts that transient dynamics can lead to different cell fate outcomes.
- Experimental data supports the finding that lysogeny increases with viral genome concentration.
- Partial gene dosage compensation may explain observed heterogeneity in cell fate decisions.
Takeaway
Bacteriophages can make decisions about whether to destroy a cell or not based on how many of them are infecting it, and this decision can change quickly.
Methodology
The study uses a quantitative model of gene regulatory networks and stochastic simulations to analyze cell fate decisions.
Potential Biases
Potential biases in the model due to assumptions about gene dosage compensation and the independence of phage decisions.
Limitations
The model assumes simultaneous infections and does not account for dynamic changes in viral concentration during infection.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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