lysogenic

[lahy-suh-jen-ik]

adjective

Microbiology.

1. harboring a temperate virus as a prophage or plasmid.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lysogenic¹

1895–1900; lyso- (representing lysis ) + -genic

Example Sentences

The new virus is lysogenic, which means it invades and replicates inside its host, but usually without killing the bacterial cell.

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This behavior is known as the lysogenic cycle, in contrast to the lytic cycle in which a virus copies itself before bursting out of its host cell and destroying it.

Read more on Salon

Viruses with this quality are called lysogenic phages.

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