Prophage is

Options

A. stage of meiosis
B. integrated viral genome with host chromosome
C. inactive virus outside the living cell
D. none of the above

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding the Term "Prophage":**
- Prophage refers to a specific state of a bacteriophage (a virus that infects bacteria) when it is integrated into the bacterial host's genome.

2. **Analyzing the Options:**
- The options provided are:
a. Stage of meiosis
b. Integrated viral genome with host chromosome
c. Inactive virus outside the living cell

3. **Eliminating Incorrect Options:**
- **Option a:** "Stage of meiosis" - This is incorrect because the term "prophase" (without the 'h') refers to a stage in meiosis, while "prophage" is related to bacteriophages and not meiosis.
- **Option c:** "Inactive virus outside the living cell" - This is also incorrect because a prophage is not an inactive virus outside the cell; it is integrated into the host's genome.

4. **Identifying the Correct Option:**
- **Option b:** "Integrated viral genome with host chromosome" - This is correct. A prophage is indeed the viral genome of a bacteriophage that has been integrated into the host bacterial chromosome. It remains dormant until certain conditions trigger it to become active.

5. **Conclusion:**
- Therefore, the correct answer is that a prophage is an "integrated viral genome with host chromosome."

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