Editing Reassortment (section)

{{Short description|Type of nonhereditary genetic change involving swapping of DNA or RNA}}
[[Image:Reassortment.svg|300px|thumb|Performing reassortment with flu viruses]]
'''Reassortment''' is the mixing of the [[genetics|genetic material]] of a species into new combinations in different individuals. The product of reassortment is called a '''reassortant'''. It is particularly used when two similar [[virus]]es that are infecting the same cell exchange genetic material. More specifically, it refers to the swapping of entire segments of the genome, which only occurs between viruses with segmented genomes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Genetic Exchange |url=https://www.atsu.edu/faculty/chamberlain/website/tritzmed/lects/genexch.htm |website=www.atsu.edu}}</ref> (All known viruses with segmented genomes are RNA viruses.)