Microbiology Practice Exam 2025 - Free Microbiology Practice Questions and Study Guide.

In the lysogenic cycle, the virus integrates itself into the host cell's DNA, becoming a provirus. This integration allows the viral genetic material to be copied along with the host cell's DNA during cell division. As a result, the virus remains dormant within the host genome, sometimes for extended periods, without causing immediate harm or symptoms. This ability to persist in the host's DNA indefinitely is a defining feature of the lysogenic cycle, setting it apart from the lytic cycle, where the virus would replicate rapidly and cause cell lysis soon after infection.

The other choices highlight processes or characteristics that do not align with the lysogenic cycle. Rapid replication is characteristic of the lytic cycle, where the virus takes control of the host's machinery to produce new virions quickly. The creation of spores is not a process associated with viral infections; spore formation pertains more to specific bacterial or fungal life cycles. Immediate attacks on neighboring cells also pertain to the lytic cycle, as this cycle aims to spread the infection quickly rather than integrate into the host's DNA for an extended period.