Alternating Lysis and Lysogeny is a Winning Strategy in Bacteriophages Due to Parrondo's Paradox

Overview

Journal Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Specialty Science

Date 2022 Mar 22

PMID 35316140

Authors

Kang Hao Cheong

Tao Wen

Sean Benler

Jin Ming Koh

Eugene V Koonin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

SignificanceBacteriophages, the most widespread reproducing biological entity on Earth, employ two strategies of virus-host interaction: lysis of the host cell and lysogeny whereby the virus genome integrates into the host genome and propagates vertically with it. We present a population model that reveals an effect known as Parrondo's paradox in game theory: Alternating between lysis and lysogeny is a winning strategy for a bacteriophage, even when each strategy individually is at a disadvantage compared with a competing bacteriophage. Thus, evolution of bacteriophages appears to optimize the ratio between the lysis and lysogeny propensities rather than the phage burst size in any individual phase. This phenomenon is likely to be relevant for understanding evolution of other host-parasites systems.

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