As a Consequence of Infection by a Temperate Bacteriophage Such

Question

As a consequence of infection by a temperate bacteriophage such as lambda, the host cell
A) lyses as a result of bacteriophage release.
B) never lyses but continues to divide and replicate both itself and the prophage.
C) divides faster at moderate temperatures.
D) may lyse or may continue to divide and replicate both itself and the prophage.

Accepted Answer

Temperate bacteriophages have dual-lysogenic cycles, in which they can either undergo the lytic cycle and destroy the host bacterium, or integrate their DNA into the bacterial chromosome as a prophage, which results in the stable coexistence of the phage and the bacterium. In this state, the bacterium continues to divide and replicate both itself and the prophage, and the bacterial lineages carrying the integrated phage DNA can be passed to the next generations. However, the temperate bacteriophages can initiate the lytic cycle under certain conditions, such as exposure to stress, which may result in the lysis of the host bacterium and the release of the newly synthesized phages. Therefore, infection by a temperate bacteriophage such as lambda may lead to either lytic or lysogenic outcomes, depending on the external cues and cellular contexts.