What is defined as a change or alteration in the nitrogenous bases of DNA?

A mutation is defined as a change or alteration in the nitrogenous bases of DNA. This process can occur in various ways, including substitutions, insertions, or deletions of bases within the DNA sequence. Mutations are essential for the diversity of genetic information and can lead to variations in traits among organisms.

Mutations can occur naturally during DNA replication or can be induced by environmental factors such as radiation or chemicals. They play a crucial role in evolution, as they provide the raw material for natural selection to act upon, leading to the development of new traits that can be beneficial, neutral, or detrimental to an organism's survival and reproduction.

In contrast, recombination refers to the process by which genetic material is shuffled and rearranged during sexual reproduction, creating new combinations of alleles without changing the DNA sequence itself. Adaptation refers to the evolutionary process through which populations become better suited to their environment, often as a result of selection acting on mutations. Selection is the process by which certain traits increase in frequency within a population due to their advantageous nature in a given environment. While all these terms are related to genetics and evolution, it is mutation that specifically addresses changes in the nitrogenous bases of DNA.