 Bacillus subtilis cells respond to starvation by changing their growth rate and activating the Sporulation Master Regulator SPO-0A. The authors hypothesized that the growth rate change affects the activity of the phospholay, which in turn determines whether or not the cell will undergo Sporulation. They developed a mathematical model of the phospholay to test this hypothesis and found that it was accurate in explaining the observed phenomena. Furthermore, they confirmed their findings experimentally and showed that the concentration of phospholay proteins is affected by the growth rate rather than its activity. In conclusion, the authors have shown that the growth rate of B. subtilis cells can directly affect the outcome of Sporulation through the phospholay. This article was authored by Jatin Narula, Anna Kushina, Fang Zhong, and others.