During which cycle does a virus inject its nucleic acid into a host cell?

In the context of viral replication, the lytic cycle is characterized by the injection of viral nucleic acid into a host cell. During this phase, the virus attaches to the host cell and penetrates its membrane, allowing the viral genetic material, which can be either DNA or RNA, to enter the cell. Once inside, the viral nucleic acid hijacks the host's cellular machinery to replicate its genome and produce viral proteins, ultimately leading to the assembly of new virions. This process culminates in the lysis, or bursting, of the host cell, which releases the newly formed viruses to infect additional cells.

Other options describe different processes. The lysozyme cycle does not exist as a recognized viral replication cycle; rather, lysozymes are enzymes that may play a role in breaking down bacterial cell walls. The latent cycle refers to a phase where the viral nucleic acid remains in the host cell without actively replicating, often integrating into the host's genome, but it does not involve the immediate injection of nucleic acid. The viral assembly cycle describes the stage where new viral particles are constructed from synthesized components, but it occurs after the nucleic acid has already been injected into the host cell during the initial stages of infection.