What is cloning?

• A. Reproducing genetically identical cells or individuals; Ex) hydra-budding
• B. A form of sexual reproduction
• C. Reproducing genetically identical cells or individuals
• D. A process of increasing genetic variation

Answer: (C)

Cloning means producing genetically identical copies of a cell or an organism. There’s no mixing of genetic material, so the offspring shares the same DNA as the parent. This can happen in nature through asexual processes like budding or other mitotic divisions, and it’s also how laboratory cloning is done, such as creating identical cells or organisms from a donor. Because cloning preserves the same genetic material, it does not increase genetic variation. That’s why this description is the best fit for what cloning is, unlike options that describe sexual reproduction or anything that enhances variation.