Canadian Medical Guide > Biological Sciences > Genetic Processes > Recombination, Genetic Terms and Definitions

Recombination, Genetic

Medical Definition:	Production of new arrangements of DNA by various mechanisms such as assortment and segregation, CROSSING OVER, GENE CONVERSION, GENETIC TRANSFORMATION, GENETIC CONJUGATION, GENETIC TRANSDUCTION, or mixed infection of viruses.
Previously Indexed:	Genetics (1966-1967)

Recombination, Genetic Categories.

	Conjugation, Genetic - A parasexual mechanism in bacteria for achieving unidirectional transfer of all or part of the chromosome from an F+ or Hfr donor ("male") to an F- ("female") recipient.
	Crossing Over (Genetics) - The reciprocal exchange of segments at corresponding positions along pairs of homologous chromosomes by symmetrical breakage and crosswise rejoining.
	Gene Conversion - The asymmetrical segregation of genes during replication which leads to the production of non-reciprocal recombinant strands and the apparent conversion of one allele into another. Thus, e.g., the meiotic products of an Aa individual may be AAAa or aaaA instead of AAaa, i.e., the A allele has been converted into the a allele or vice versa.
	Gene Transfer, Horizontal - The naturally occuring transmission of genetic information between organisms, related or unrelated, circumventing parent-to-offspring transmission. Horizontal gene transfer may occur via a variety of naturally occuring processes such as GENETIC CONJUGATION; GENETIC TRANSDUCTION; and TRANSFECTION. It may result in a change of the recipient organism's genetic composition (TRANSFORMATION, GENETIC).
	Sister Chromatid Exchange - An exchange of segments between the sister chromatids of a chromosome, either between the sister chromatids of a meiotic tetrad or between the sister chromatids of a duplicated somatic chromosome. Its frequency is increased by ultraviolet and ionizing radiation and other mutagenic agents and is particularly high in BLOOM SYNDROME.
	Transformation, Genetic - Change brought about to an organisms genetic composition by unidirectional transfer (TRANSFECTION; TRANSDUCTION, GENETIC; CONJUGATION, GENETIC, etc.) and incorporation of foreign DNA into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells by recombination of part or all of that DNA into the cell's genome.

Recombination, Genetic Medical Definitions and Terms

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