Which term describes the release of phage progeny from a bacterial cell through cell lysis?

Which term describes the release of phage progeny from a bacterial cell through cell lysis?

• A. Lysogeny
• B. Lysis
• C. Adsorption
• D. Packaging

Answer: (B)

The release of phage progeny from a bacterial cell through cell lysis is called lysis. In the lytic cycle, after replication and assembly, phages use enzymes to break down the cell wall and membrane, causing the cell to burst and releasing many new virions. This stands in contrast to lysogeny, where the phage genome integrates into the host and is carried along without killing the cell; adsorption is simply the initial attachment of the phage to the bacterial surface; packaging is the step of filling a capsid with the phage genome during assembly. Thus, the process described is lysis.

The release of phage progeny from a bacterial cell through cell lysis is called lysis. In the lytic cycle, after replication and assembly, phages use enzymes to break down the cell wall and membrane, causing the cell to burst and releasing many new virions. This stands in contrast to lysogeny, where the phage genome integrates into the host and is carried along without killing the cell; adsorption is simply the initial attachment of the phage to the bacterial surface; packaging is the step of filling a capsid with the phage genome during assembly. Thus, the process described is lysis.