Prophages are formed during the lysogenic cycle of bacteriophages.
The integration of the prophage into the bacterial chromosome is facilitated by specific recombination events.
Prophages can confer new properties to the host bacteria through horizontal gene transfer, sometimes providing advantages like toxin production or antibiotic resistance.
Environmental triggers such as UV light or stress can induce a prophage to excise from the host genome and enter the lytic cycle, leading to cell lysis.
Not all bacteriophages form prophages; only temperate phages have this capability.