B. Subtilis stress responses: a game theoretic analysis

群体异质性经常在遗传上相同的细菌群体中观察到。表观遗传多样性的进化起源和分子机制知之甚少。我们假设多样化对微生物的长期存活很重要。事实上，这可能是一种最优策略，除非细胞对它们的环境有完美的信息，并且可以以很小的代价切换状态。本研究的目的是：（1）对B进行博弈论解释。枯草芽孢杆菌的压力反应部署，侧重于孢子形成，能力的DNA转化，降解酶的合成和鞭毛运动之间的相互作用;和2）分析控制这些压力反应的调控网络模型。这项工作是一个合作的努力，旨在系统级的理解B的一部分。枯草应力反应相结合的计算和实验方法。在未来，这里开发的博弈论模型可用于优化培养方案，并发现细菌感染后药物治疗的新策略。

Population heterogeneity is frequently observed in populations of genetically identical bacteria subject to environmental stress. The evolutionary origin and the molecular mechanisms underlying epigenetic diversification are poorly understood. We hypothesize that diversification is important to long-term microbial survival. In fact, it is presumably an optimal strategy unless cells have perfect information about their environment and can switch states with little costs. The aims of this study are 1) to develop a game-theoretic interpretation of B. subtilis stress response deployment, focusing on the interplay between sporulation, competence for DNA-transformation, degradative enzyme synthesis and flagellar motility; and 2) to analyse regulatory network models controlling these stress responses. This work is part of a collaborate effort aimed at a system level understanding of B. subtilis stress responses by combining computational and experimental approaches. In the future, the game-theoretic models to be developed here could be used to optimize cultivation protocols and to uncover novel strategies for drug treatment after bacterial infections.