The lytic cycle is one of the two phases of reproduction in viruses. In this part of reproduction, the viral RNA joins with the DNA of the host and copies itself into the host's DNA pattern. This will cause the host cells to reproduce the viral cells instead of the original host cells. Overtime as the viral cells continue to reproduce they will overload and eventually cause the host cell to explode. When this occurs, then the produced viruses will continue on to infect the next cell.