A bacteriophage with a lytic life cycle develops a mutation...

Name: Problem 29, Chapter 21: Biology
Uploaded: 2020-06-27T18:24:17-08:00
Duration: 1 min 2 s
Channel: Joanna Quigley
Description: A bacteriophage with a lytic life cycle develops a mutation that allows it to now also go through the Iysogenic cycle. How would this provide an evolutionary advantage over the other bacteriophages that can only spread through lytic cycles?

A bacteriophage with a lytic life cycle develops a mutation that allows it to now also go through the Iysogenic cycle. How would this provide an evolutionary advantage over the other bacteriophages that can only spread through lytic cycles?

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Key Concepts

Phage Life Cycles

Phage life cycles encompass the lytic and lysogenic phases. The lytic cycle involves infection, rapid replication, and eventual lysis (destruction) of the host cell, whereas the lysogenic cycle involves the integration of the viral genome into the host genome. This dual life cycle strategy allows a phage to choose between rapid replication and preserving its genome in a dormant state, providing flexibility depending on environmental conditions.

Lysogeny

Lysogeny refers to the phase where the bacteriophage integrates its genetic material into the host’s genome and replicates passively as the host cell divides. This state provides a survival advantage under unfavorable conditions by avoiding immediate host cell destruction, thus ensuring long-term persistence until conditions improve for lytic replication.

Evolutionary Flexibility and Advantage

The ability to alternate between lytic and lysogenic cycles gives the bacteriophage an evolutionary advantage by enhancing its adaptability. In environments where host cells are scarce or conditions are harsh, entering the lysogenic cycle allows the phage to persist. When conditions become favorable, the phage can switch to the lytic cycle to maximize replication and spread, thereby increasing its overall fitness compared to phages limited to the lytic cycle.

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