| lysogenic pathway | <virology> The method by which a virus becomes a dormant, passive part of its host bacterium's genome (a lysogenic virus), choosing to insert its DNA into the host's and postponing completion of its lytic cycle, at which time it destroys the host and spreads its progeny to infect other bacterial cells (enters the lytic pathway). (09 Oct 1997) |
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| lytic pathway | The steps in the method that a virus takes to complete a lytic cycle, including the production and assembly of progeny viruses with host cell machinery and the destruction of the host cell by rupturing its plasma membrane (lysis), releasing the progeny viruses in the process. (09 Oct 1997) |