A regulatory model for steady-state conditions in populations of lysogenic bacteria

Populations of lysogenic bacteria contain both lysogenic bacteria and free phage particles resulting from the spontaneous induction of the prophage for vegetative development. The interactions between lysogenic cells and free phages lead to superinfection of the lysogenic ones, and in several cases to induction of phage development. A model of these regulatory processes shows that there exist two steady states for the ratio of the number of free phages and lysogenic cells at the same growth conditions. Transition between these two states must be inducible by sufficient disturbance of the regulated equilibrium for example by irradiation. Possibilities for experimental examinations are stated.