What is the term for the exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during meiosis?

• A. Mutation
• B. Inversion
• C. Translocation
• D. Recombination

Answer: (D)

During meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair up and may swap corresponding segments of DNA. This exchange is called recombination (also known as crossing over). It creates new combinations of alleles on each chromosome, boosting genetic diversity in the gametes that form. Mutation is a change in the DNA sequence itself, inversion is when a chromosome segment flips its orientation, and translocation is moving a segment to a nonhomologous chromosome. None of those describe the specific exchange between homologous chromosomes during meiosis, so recombination is the correct term.