Final answer:
In the lysogenic cycle, a prophage, or inactive viral DNA, integrates with a bacterial host's DNA and gets replicated with it, without causing cell lysis. Environmental factors can trigger this prophage to enter the lytic cycle, leading to cell death and new virus production.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a prophage remains inactive within a bacterial host and does not cause the cell to lyse, this form of viral persistence is known as the lysogenic cycle. In the lysogenic cycle, the viral DNA, known as a prophage when integrated with the bacterial DNA, gets replicated along with the host cell's chromosome.
This integration means the virus's genetic material is copied and passed to new bacterial cells upon division. However, due to certain environmental stressors like UV light or chemical exposure, the prophage can excise itself from the host genome and enter the lytic cycle, where it will then produce new virions that cause the lysis of the host cell.
An example of a phage that undergoes lysogeny is the lambda (λ) phage infecting E. coli. The bacteria harboring such prophages are often referred to as lysogens. This stage can be triggered to switch to the lytic cycle, which is more destructive, leading to the production of new virions and the eventual death of the host cell.