During which process do chromosomes "cross-over" and shuffle genetic information?

The process during which chromosomes "cross-over" and shuffle genetic information is meiosis. This specialized type of cell division occurs in sexually reproducing organisms and is crucial for the formation of gametes, such as sperm and eggs.

During meiosis, particularly in prophase I, homologous chromosomes pair up and exchange segments of genetic material through a mechanism known as crossing-over or recombination. This process results in new combinations of alleles, contributing to genetic diversity in the offspring. Essentially, crossing-over enables the exchange of genetic information between maternal and paternal chromosomes, which is a key factor in evolution and adaptation as it increases the variability in a population.

In contrast, replication refers to the process of duplicating DNA prior to cell division, transcription involves copying a segment of DNA into RNA, and mitosis is a type of cell division that produces two identical daughter cells, where no genetic recombination occurs. Thus, meiosis is the distinct process associated with genetic shuffling through crossover of chromosomes.