Question

Which viral reproduction cycle is used by long term viruses that hide in our body until triggered

Answer 1

Lysogenic

Step-by-step explanation:

There are two types of viral reproductive cycles, lytic and lysogenic. Let's look at both of them:

Lytic Cycle: Ex. of a lytic virus: Influenza (the flu)

1. A virus injects its genetic material into a cell
2. Proteins are created by the virus to hijack the host cell's DNA, allowing the virus control over the cell
3. The virus uses its control over the cell to make the cell create proteins for new viruses while it replicates viral DNA
4. Eventually, the host cell bursts (dies), and new viruses are released
5. Those new viruses infect other cells; the cycle continues

Here we can see that the lytic cycle wastes no time. As soon as a cell is infected, it will immediately turn into a virus factory. Now, what about the lysogenic cycle?

Lysogenic Cycle: Ex. of a lysogenic virus: E. Coli

1. A virus injects its genetic material into a cell
2. The virus's DNA/RNA inserts itself into the host cell's DNA/RNA
3. The host cell continues to grow and reproduce. Whenever it produces new cells (by duplicating its genetic material and organelles then splitting in two), the virus's DNA/RNA will also be duplicated and exist in the new cell.
4. The process continues, creating more and more cells with viral DNA/RNA
5. A factor (it can be anything from radiation to nutrient levels) will eventually trigger all infected cells to undergo induction, which is a process very similar to the lytic cycle
6. Induction will: cause the host cells to produce proteins for new viruses until the cell eventually bursts, leading to the release of the newly created viruses (much like the lytic cycle)
7. Those new viruses infect other cells; the cycle continues

An easy way to remember which is which is lyslowgenic. It's cheesy, but it works!

Please comment if you have any other questions! I've attached a picture for some reference on the cycles if you need it.