The activation of a prophage is referred to as what?

The activation of a prophage is referred to as induction. In the context of bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect bacteria, a prophage is the viral genome that has been integrated into the bacterial chromosome. This integration allows the viral DNA to be replicated along with the bacterial genome during cell division.

Induction occurs when the prophage is triggered to exit the lysogenic cycle and enter the lytic cycle, where it starts to replicate and produce new viral particles. This can be prompted by various environmental factors, such as stress to the bacterial cell, ultraviolet light, or certain chemicals. Once induced, the prophage activates, leading to the synthesis of viral components and ultimately the lysis of the bacterial cell to release new phage particles.

The other options do not describe the process correctly. Replication refers to the process of duplicating genetic material. Integration, while important for the initial incorporation of the viral DNA into the host genome, does not describe the activation of the prophage. Transduction refers to the process by which bacteriophages transfer DNA from one bacterium to another, which is separate from the activation of a prophage.