The study introduces the idea of "transcriptomic noise"—stochastic (random) changes in gene expression that act as a threshold, preventing the virus from being "tripped" into an active state.
Extensive changes in the cell's proteins (the proteome) and gene expressions (the transcriptome) effectively "quench" the signals that should trigger the virus to reactivate. 8137 epub
By identifying the specific proteins involved (like p53 and STAT3), scientists can develop pharmacological strategies to make these "inert" cells responsive again, potentially leading to more effective "shock and kill" therapies. 8137 epub