BRAINCAKEVirus Life Cycle
Although viruses differ in detail, their replication inside a host cell follows the same general sequence of stages:
1. Attachment: viral proteins bind to specific receptors on the host cell.
2. Entry (penetration): the viral nucleic acid enters the cell, by injection, endocytosis or membrane fusion.
3. Replication and synthesis: the viral genome is copied many times, and viral genes are transcribed and translated by the host to make capsid proteins and enzymes.
4. Assembly: new nucleic acid and capsid proteins come together to form new virus particles.
5. Release: new virions leave the cell, either by bursting it (lysis) or by budding through the membrane, which gives enveloped viruses their envelope.
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Key terms in this lesson
- prophage
- Bacteriophage DNA inserted into the host bacterial chromosome and replicated along with it during the lysogenic pathway.
More in Prokaryotic Cells
- DNA Viruses
- RNA Viruses
- RNA Retroviruses
- Viral Reproduction
- DNA Virus Latency
- DNA Virus Lytic Pathway
- RNA Virus Replication
- Positive ssRNA Viruses
All 31 lessons in Prokaryotic Cells · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics