Prophage

Real World Example

Imagine you have a closet where you store your winter clothes during the summer months. Just like how those clothes are tucked away, out of sight but still present, a prophage is a piece of viral DNA that quietly integrates itself into the bacterial host’s DNA. In this analogy, the closet represents the bacterial DNA, while the stored winter clothes symbolize the viral DNA, lying dormant and undisturbed until it's needed or activated.