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Lambda Bacteriophage and Life Cycle Regulation definitions

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  • Lambda Bacteriophage
    A virus that infects bacteria, serving as a model for studying viral life cycle regulation between active and dormant states.
  • Lytic Cycle
    A phase where viral replication is active, leading to cell bursting and release of new viral particles.
  • Lysogenic Cycle
    A dormant phase where viral DNA integrates into the host genome and remains inactive until triggered.
  • Cro Protein
    A regulatory molecule that, when abundant, suppresses lysogenic genes and promotes active viral replication.
  • CI Protein
    A regulatory molecule, also called lambda repressor, that promotes dormancy by inhibiting lytic gene expression.
  • C2 Protein
    A factor that activates the PRE promoter, leading to production of proteins favoring the lysogenic state.
  • N Protein
    An anti-terminator that enables transcription to proceed past terminators, allowing expression of downstream genes.
  • Operator
    A DNA region where regulatory proteins bind to control transcription of adjacent genes.
  • Promoter
    A DNA sequence where RNA polymerase initiates transcription of a gene.
  • Terminator
    A DNA sequence signaling the end of transcription, which can be bypassed by anti-terminator proteins.
  • Protease
    An enzyme that degrades regulatory proteins like C2, influencing the choice between viral life cycles.
  • PRE Promoter
    A regulatory DNA element activated by C2, leading to synthesis of proteins that suppress lytic genes.
  • Anti-Cro
    A product transcribed from the PRE promoter that counteracts Cro protein, supporting lysogenic maintenance.
  • Regulatory Gene
    A gene encoding a product that modulates the expression of other genes, crucial for life cycle decisions.
  • Growth Conditions
    Environmental factors, such as nutrient availability, that influence viral regulatory protein levels and life cycle choice.