Difference between a prophage and a cryptic prophage?

[keyesrussell]

Short question: Just studying prokaryotic genomes and read about prophages but saw them elsewhere referred to as cryptic prophages. Are they the same thing? If not, what is the difference between them?

Thank you.

[CharonY]

A cryptic prophage is defective and typically lost the ability to form a full virus. They may have mutated to the point of not being easily recognizable as phages anymore.

[keyesrussell]

Thanks that's a great help.