From Bench to Keyboard and Back Again: A Brief History of Lambda Phage Modeling.

Cellular decision making is the process whereby cells choose one developmental pathway from multiple possible ones, either spontaneously or due to environmental stimuli. Examples in various cell types suggest an almost inexhaustible plethora of underlying molecular mechanisms. In general, cellular decisions rely on the gene regulatory network, which integrates external signals to drive cell fate choice.

Optimality of the spontaneous prophage induction rate.

Lysogens are bacterial cells that have survived after genomically incorporating the DNA of temperate bacteriophages infecting them. If an infection results in lysogeny, the lysogen continues to grow and divide normally, seemingly unaffected by the integrated viral genome known as a prophage. However, the prophage can still have an impact on the host's phenotype and overall fitness in certain environments.

Coupling of DNA Replication and Negative Feedback Controls Gene Expression for Cell-Fate Decisions.

Cellular decision-making arises from the expression of genes along a regulatory cascade, which leads to a choice between distinct phenotypic states. DNA dosage variations, often introduced by replication, can significantly affect gene expression to ultimately bias decision outcomes. The bacteriophage lambda system has long served as a paradigm for cell-fate determination, yet the effect of DNA replication remains largely unknown.

Late-Arriving Signals Contribute Less to Cell-Fate Decisions.

Gene regulatory networks are largely responsible for cellular decision-making. These networks sense diverse external signals and respond by adjusting gene expression, enabling cells to reach environment-dependent decisions crucial for their survival or reproduction. However, information-carrying signals may arrive at variable times.