In bacteriophage lambda, the choice between the lytic and lysogenic pathways is often thought of as a sort of race between the production of cro protein and production of cI protein. What pathway would likely predominate in a mutant in which cI was overexpressed relative to a wild-type virus? In a mutant in which cI was underexpressed relative to a wild-type virus?

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In bacteriophage lambda, the cI protein promotes lysogeny, while the cro protein promotes the lytic cycle. Overexpression of cI would push the virus towards lysogeny, while underexpression of cI would favor the lytic pathway.

In Bacteriophage Lambda, the Choice Between the Lytic and Lysogenic