Final answer:
In a lytic infection, the host cell is destroyed as new virus particles are replicated and then released through the process of lysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
During a lytic infection, the host cell is taken over by a virulent phage or bacteriophage, which then uses the host's cellular machinery to replicate new virus particles. This process typically involves several key steps: attachment and penetration of the host cell, biosynthesis of viral components, maturation, and ultimately the release of new virus particles through a process called lysis, which causes the host cell to die. The lytic cycle is one of two cycles that bacteriophages can undergo, with the other being the lysogenic cycle that involves the integration of the phage DNA into the host genome. However, during the lytic cycle, virus replication and lysis of the host cell occur without integration into the host genome.