Question

What happens in the MATURATION PHASE in the T4 BACTERIOPHAGE CYCLE?

1) Attachment of the phage to the host cell
2) Injection of the phage DNA into the host cell
3) Replication of the phage DNA and synthesis of phage proteins
4) Assembly of new phage particles and release from the host cell

Answer 1

In the T4 bacteriophage cycle, the maturation phase involves the assembly of new virions from synthesized components, followed by the lysis of the host cell to release the new phages.

Step-by-step explanation:

The maturation phase in the T4 bacteriophage cycle is a critical stage in which new phage particles, or virions, are assembled within the infected bacterial cell. This phase follows the earlier stages where a bacteriophage attaches to the host cell, injects its DNA, and then replicates its DNA and synthesizes phage proteins.

In the maturation phase, the previously synthesized components such as capsomeres, sheath, base plates, tail fibers, and viral enzymes are assembled into complete viruses. Once assembly is complete, the bacterial cell wall is lysed by phage proteins, such as holin or lysozyme, releasing the new virions to infect other cells.

Assembly of new phage particles and lysis of the host cell mark the culmination of the maturation phase and lead into the release stage, where newly created virions are liberated into the environment.