Relatively slow stochastic gene-state switching in the presence of positive feedback significantly broadens the region of bimodality through stabilizing the uninduced phenotypic state
Fig 3
Positive feedback stabilizes the induced state.
(A-C) Extremely slow operon-state switching is necessary to induce purely stochastic bistability without positive feedback. (D-F) In the presence of positive feedback, the induced state is stabilized, and a bimodal distribution emerges, even when operon-state switching rates are within the physiological region.