PNNL

Abstract

From the moment cells were first observed under the microscope, it became clear that even genetically identical cells do not appear the same when viewed through the imaging lens. Today, we understand that these nongenetic differences between cells can arise due to growth conditions, aging, and random fluctuations in gene or protein expression. These variations influence most aspects of the cell phenotype, including the proteome, metabolism and cell size, embodying a form of cellular plasticity that can enable adaptation through bet-hedging. Collectively, these differences — referred to as ‘cellular noise’ — were first predicted by Erwin Schrödinger in 1944 and remain among the most elusive topics in life science. While cellular noise may seem inconsequential at the organismal or ecosystem levels, its significance becomes evident when considering that many infections and naturally occurring microbial communities originate from just a few cells.