Clonal populations of microbial cells often show a high degree of phenotypic variability under homogeneous conditions. Stochastic fluctuations in the cellular components that determine cellular states can cause two distinct subpopulations, a property called bistability. Phenotypic heterogeneity can be readily obtained by interlinking multiple gene regulatory pathways, effectively resulting in a genetic logic-AND gate. Although switching between states can occur within the cells' lifetime, cells can also pass their cellular state over to the next generation by a mechanism known as epigenetic inheritance and thus perpetuate the phenotypic state. Importantly, heterogeneous populations can demonstrate increased fitness compared with homogeneous populations. This suggests that microbial cells employ bet-hedging strategies to maximize survival. Here, we discuss the possible roles of interlinked bistable networks, epigenetic inheritance, and bet-hedging in bacteria.

中文翻译：

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细菌的双稳态，表观遗传学和对冲。

在同质条件下，微生物细胞的克隆种群通常表现出高度的表型变异性。确定细胞状态的细胞成分中的随机波动会导致两个不同的亚群，称为双稳性。表型异质性可以通过相互连接多个基因调控途径而轻易获得，从而有效地产生了遗传逻辑“与”门。尽管状态的切换可以在细胞的生命周期内发生，但是细胞也可以通过一种称为表观遗传的机制将其细胞状态传递给下一代，从而使表型状态永久化。重要的是，与同质人群相比，异质人群可以显示出更高的适应度。这表明微生物细胞采用对冲策略来最大化生存。这里，