Transposition (movement of DNA segments within and between DNA molecules)
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Transposition is a biological process where a segment of DNA is moved from one location to another, either within the same molecule or to a different molecule. This can lead to genetic variation.
Related terms
Transposon: A transposon is the specific segment of DNA that moves during transposition. It's like the sentence you're moving in your word document.
Jumping Gene: This is another name for a transposon because it 'jumps' from one location in the genome to another.
Insertion Sequence: An insertion sequence is the simplest type of transposon which only contains genes involved in transposition. It's like having just enough text for your cut-and-paste operation.
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