{
  "id": 18107846,
  "title": "Stochastic gene expression drives state switching and phenotypic heterogeneity in RNA repair",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/stochastic-gene-expression-drives-state-switching-and-phenotypic",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-04T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.03.763983v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Antibiotic-resistant bacterial populations demonstrate variability in cellular responses, highlighting the need to comprehend how genetically identical cells occupy different susceptibility states within a single population. In this study, researchers delve into the role of the Rtc RNA repair system in E. coli and how it drives heterogeneity in antibiotic responses at the single-cell level. By creating a stochastic model of Rtc-mediated RNA repair, the team uncovered two distinct groups of cells with varying translational capacities and a temporary memory in responses to RNA damage, revealing how intrinsic stochasticity in Rtc-regulation contributes to phenotypic heterogeneity.\n\nBy categorizing single-cell trajectories, the scientists pinpoint factors driving state transitions between resistant and susceptible states. Their findings indicate that stochastic expression of the rtc regulator is responsible for cells entering a resistant state, while dilution is the mechanism that redirects the system back into a susceptible state. These insights suggest that heterogeneity in RNA repair arises from stochastic switching between states, providing a means to better understand how individual cells can survive the presence of translation-targeting antibiotics.",
  "summary": "Bacterial populations often exhibit variability in cellular responses to antibiotics which can affect treatment success and survival outcomes. This heterogeneity suggests that genetically identical cells can occupy different states of susceptibility within the same population. Better understanding of these dynamic responses is essential for determining how cells respond to stress and survive…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}