Final answer:
The steps of the lytic cycle in the bacteriophage replication process occur in the following order: attachment, entry or penetration, biosynthesis, maturation, and release or lysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
- Attachment: The phage interacts with specific bacterial surface receptors.
- Entry or Penetration: The phage injects its genome into the host cell.
- Biosynthesis: The phage hijacks the host cell machinery to replicate its components.
- Maturation: New viruses are assembled.
- Release or Lysis: Mature viruses burst out of the host cell, infecting new cells.