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.