Final answer:
The correct order of the viral life cycle phases is Absorption, Penetration/Uncoating, Synthesis, Assembly, and Release. The cycle starts with a virus attaching to and penetrating a host cell, then synthesizing its components, assembling new virions, and finally releasing them to infect other cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
Viral Life Cycle Phases
The viral life cycle consists of a series of stages that a virus goes through to replicate within a host organism. These stages, in the correct order, are:
- Absorption
- Penetration/Uncoating
- Synthesis
- Assembly
- Release
In the initial stage, the virus attaches itself to a host cell, typically with specificity to certain cell types. This specificity is known as a tissue tropism. Following this, the virus enters the host cell through mechanisms such as endocytosis or membrane fusion.
After penetration, the virus goes through the uncoating process, where the viral capsid is removed, and the viral genetic material is released into the host cell. The synthesis phase involves the replication of viral nucleic acids and the production of viral proteins using the host cell's machinery. During the assembly stage, new viral particles are put together. Lastly, in the release phase, newly formed virions exit the host cell, either through lysis or budding off from the cell membrane, ready to infect other cells and repeat the cycle.
To mention the correct option in the final answer, the accurate sequence of the viral life cycle phases is Absorption, Penetration/Uncoating, Synthesis, Assembly, and Release.