Final answer:
The implications of a toxic extremophile infected with a lethal virus include the potential spread of the virus to other organisms, depending on the virus' characteristics and the environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves understanding the interactions between a toxic extremophile and a lethal virus that infects it. Extremophiles are organisms adapted to living in extreme conditions, and some of them, such as certain prokaryotes, have developed complex mechanisms like DNA repair to thrive in their environments. When an extremophile is infected by a virus, various outcomes are possible depending on the nature of both the host and the viral pathogen.
In the case of a virulent virus that causes immediate death of cells, such as virulent phages in prokaryotes, it could lead to the lysis of the extremophile. On the other hand, if the virus is temperate, it could integrate into the host genome and remain dormant for a time. The potential for the infected extremophile to spread the virus to other organisms would depend on its interactions and the ecology of its environment. Considering the specificity of viruses to their hosts, the risk might be minimal unless the virus can cross species barriers.
Thus, the correct response related to the implications of an extremophile infected with a virus would be (d) The extremophile may spread the virus to other organisms, although the actual risk would need to be evaluated based on specific interactions between the virus, the extremophile, and potential new hosts.