Final answer:
c. lysogenic conversion
Lysogenic conversion occurs when integrated phage genes in the lysogenic cycle alter the characteristics of the host bacterial cell. This cycle allows the phage genome to replicate with the host genome without causing cell lysis. Transduction is the transfer of genetic information between bacteria via a phage but is not the term describing the change in host characteristics due to phage DNA integration.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the lysogenic cycle, it is possible for integrated phage genes to change the characteristics of the host cell. This phenomenon is known as lysogenic conversion.
In the lysogenic cycle, a bacteriophage's DNA is incorporated into the bacterial host's genome, forming what is known as a prophage. This prophage can stay dormant within the host cell, replicating alongside the host's DNA as the bacterium divides, without causing harm to the host cell. Unlike the lytic cycle where cell lysis and release of new virions occurs, the lysogenic cycle is characterized by the integration of the phage DNA into the host cell's genome. As a result, lysogenic conversion occurs when the presence of phage genes can bestow new characteristics upon the host bacterium, such as increased virulence or antibiotic resistance.
Transduction is related to the transfer of genetic material from one bacterium to another but is not the correct term for the specific process where phage DNA alters the host phenotype. In the context of lysogenic conversion induction refers to the event where an environmental trigger causes the prophage to exit the lysogenic cycle and enter the lytic cycle.