Bacteriophage Ecology Group

Bacteriophage Ecology Group Bacteriophage Ecology Group

Insertion

Process by which a prophage becomes integrated within a bacterium's chromosome.

Contrast with plasmid prophage and see also attachment site.

It is at the point of insertion that a temperate phage genome becomes a prophage (assuming a requirement for insertion for reduction to lysogeny) and though temperate phages can have preferred insertion sites, often insertion into additional sites is possible.

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