NF-KB dynamics in the language of immune cells

Biological discovery has been driven by advances in throughput and resolution of analysis technologies. They have also created an indelible bias for snapshot based knowledge. Even though recent methods such as multi-omics single-cell assays have empowered immunological investigations, they still provide snapshots of cellular behaviors and thus, have inherent limitations in reconstructing unsynchronized dynamic events across individual cells. Here, we present a rationale for how NF-KB may convey specificity of contextual information through subtle quantitative features of its signaling dynamics. The next frontier of predictive understanding should involve functional characterization of NF-KB signaling dynamics and their immunological implications. This may help solve the apparent paradox that a ubiquitously activated transcription factor can shape accurate responses to different immune challenges.