A virus that is hidden during the latency period is called a

A virus that is hidden during the latency period is called a

• A. Provirus
• B. Lytic virus
• C. Retrovirus
• D. Bacteriophage

Answer: (A)

When a virus hides by becoming part of the host cell’s own genetic material, its genome is carried quietly within the host DNA and stays inactive until conditions trigger reactivation. This integrated, dormant viral genome is called a provirus. The provirus can persist through cell divisions and later resume producing new viruses without immediately destroying the host cell, which is the essence of latency. In contrast, a lytic virus is active from the start, taking over the cell’s machinery to copy itself and typically causing cell lysis quickly. A retrovirus is a type of virus that uses reverse transcription to insert its genome into the host DNA, which can lead to a proviral state, but the term provirus specifically refers to the latent, integrated genome itself. A bacteriophage infects bacteria; during its latent phase, the viral DNA is called a prophage rather than a provirus.

When a virus hides by becoming part of the host cell’s own genetic material, its genome is carried quietly within the host DNA and stays inactive until conditions trigger reactivation. This integrated, dormant viral genome is called a provirus. The provirus can persist through cell divisions and later resume producing new viruses without immediately destroying the host cell, which is the essence of latency.

In contrast, a lytic virus is active from the start, taking over the cell’s machinery to copy itself and typically causing cell lysis quickly. A retrovirus is a type of virus that uses reverse transcription to insert its genome into the host DNA, which can lead to a proviral state, but the term provirus specifically refers to the latent, integrated genome itself. A bacteriophage infects bacteria; during its latent phase, the viral DNA is called a prophage rather than a provirus.