What occurs during the lytic cycle of a virus?

During the lytic cycle of a virus, the primary process is the replication of viral particles using the host cell's machinery, which ultimately leads to the destruction of the host cell. Once the virus infects a host cell, it injects its genetic material into the cell. This genetic material hijacks the host's cellular machinery to replicate viral components, including proteins and nucleic acids.

As the viral particles accumulate, they disrupt normal cellular functions. Eventually, this overwhelming production of viruses causes the host cell to lyse, or burst, releasing new viral particles into the surrounding environment. These new viruses are then free to infect additional cells, continuing the cycle of infection.

This cycle contrasts with other processes in viral life cycles, such as integration into the host's DNA, which is characteristic of lysogenic cycles, where the virus can remain dormant. In the lytic cycle, the immediate goal is to replicate and exit the host, which is vividly marked by the cell's rupture.