Question

What is the lytic cycle of bacteriophage?

Answer 1

Bacteriophages:

1. Bacteriophages (literal meaning bacteria eaters) are the viruses for which the natural host is a bacterial cell
2. They exhibit two types of life cycles namely the lytic life cycle and lysogenic life cycle.

Lytic cycle:

1. When a bacteriophage injects its DNA into a bacterial cell, the phage DNA takes over the cell’s protein synthesis and DNA replication machinery, forcing it to express the phage genes, produce phage proteins, and replicate the phage DNA.
2. The newly produced phage proteins and DNA assemble into phage particles, after which the infected cell bursts, or lyses, releasing 100–200 new viral particles ready to infect other cells.
3. The cell lysis and release of progeny phage is called the lytic cycle of phage multiplication.
4. The lytic cycle is also known as the reproductive cycle of the bacteriophage.