When a virus infects a bacterial cell, often new viruses are assembled and released when the host bacterial cell is lysed. If these new viruses go on to infect new bacterial cells, the new host cells may not be lysed. What is the most plausible explanation for this?
A) The bacterial cell must be resistant to infection by the virus.
B) The virus carries genes that confer resistance to the host bacterial cell.
C) The host bacterium couples the viral infection with transformation.
D) The virus has entered the genome of the bacterial cell and is in the lysogenic stage.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the lysogenic stage, the virus has integrated its genetic material into the genome of the bacterial cell. This integration allows the virus to lie dormant and replicate along with the host cell's DNA. When the host cell replicates, the virus also replicates with it, ensuring that the new bacterial cells are also infected with the virus. This mechanism often does not result in lysis of the host cell, as the virus is not actively assembling new viruses in these cells.

When a Virus Infects a Bacterial Cell, Often New Viruses