| lysogenic conversion | <virology> The ability of some phages to survive in a bacterium as a result of the integration of their DNA into the host chromosome. The integrated DNA is termed a prophage. A regulator gene produces a repressor protein that suppresses the lytic activity of the phage, but various environmental factors, such as ultraviolet irradiation may prevent synthesis of the repressor, leading to normal phage development and lysis of the bacterium. The best example of this is bacteriophage lambda. (18 Nov 1997) |
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