Final answer:
The correct order of phage infection stages is attachment, penetration, transcription, replication, assembly, and release. This sequence corresponds to the lytic cycle of bacteriophage replication.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct order for the stages of a phage infection is (b) Attachment, penetration, transcription, replication of nucleic acid and protein, assembly, release. During the lytic cycle, the bacteriophage first attaches to the bacterial cell, specifically binding to receptors on the cell's surface. Next, penetration occurs when the phage injects its DNA into the host cell, leaving the capsid outside. This is followed by the transcription of the viral genome and the replication of viral nucleic acids and proteins within the host cell. Subsequently, assembly of new phages takes place. Finally, new virions are released when the bacterial cell lyses due to the action of viral enzymes.