A prophage is the integrated genome of a bacteriophage that has incorporated into the host bacterium's chromosome during the lysogenic cycle.

Prophage

The phage DNA is incorporated into the host genome.

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This type of bacteriophage does not kill the host cell right away, rather the phage genome integrates into the bacterial chromosome and becomes apart of the host. Then, as the host divides into daughter cells the phage genome is also replicated. Eventually, the host cell becomes stressed, the phage genome exits the host, makes more phage particles, and then the virus exits the host DNA resulting from lysis.

Lysogenic Cycle

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The host (bacterial cell) divides into 2 daughter cells and each of them has the prophage DNA this continues until the cells get stressed out until the viral DNA exits the host DNA.

The advantage of the Lysogenic Cycle

Integration of Bacteriophage

Biosynthesis is the stage of bacteriophage infection where the virus degrades the host chromosome using virus-encoded endonucleases. The virus then hijacks the host cell's machinery to replicate, transcribe, and translate key viral components (such as capsomeres, sheaths, base plates, tail fibers, and viral enzymes) for assembling new viruses, with polymerase genes expressed early and capsid and tail proteins expressed later in the cycle.

Biosynthesis of Bacteriophage

The phage latches on to the new cell and to infect it. 

Penetration of Bacteriophage

The replication steps for bacteriophages generally include attachment to the host, entry or penetration of the viral genome, replication and synthesis of viral components (biosynthesis), assembly of new phages (maturation), and release of progeny virions (lysis).

Steps of Bacteriophage Replication

Prophage induction is the process where environmental conditions, such as ultraviolet light or chemical exposure, stimulate an integrated prophage to excise itself from the bacterial host chromosome. Once excised, the bacteriophage enters the lytic cycle to replicate and produce new viral particles.

Prophage Induction

Lysogeny is the process in which a host bacterium is infected by a temperate phage, leading to the integration of the phage genome into the host's chromosome where it remains latent or inactive.

Lysogeny

Lysis is the final stage of the bacteriophage replication cycle, where the bacterial cell wall is disrupted by phage proteins such as holin or lysozyme. This disruption causes the host cell to burst, releasing the newly assembled progeny viruses into the environment to infect new cells.

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