Viral propagation

The individual steps in the viral propagation cycle include:

• the adsorption (attachment) of the virus particle to the target cell
• penetration into the cytoplasm
• uncoating, the release of the nucleic acid from the nucleocapsid
• replication of the complete viral genome
• the expression of virus-specific proteins by transcription and translation of viral genetic information
• the morphogenesis (assembly= composition and maturation) of new virus particles from the synthesized virus-specific building blocks.
• Release of viruses: In the case of enveloped viruses by budding, in the case of non-enveloped (naked) viruses by host cell lysis.

Note: The period between uncoating in the host cell and the production of recognizable virus particles is called eclipse.